From Spurn Head westward to the confluence of the Ouse and the Trent, the southern boundary of the county is formed by the Humber ; its general course is westward, inclining a little to the north. From this point to the junction of the counties of York, Derby, and Not tingham, the general direction of the boundary is to the south-west; and the northern portion of this line is formed by the Old Don River. Along the boundary of Derbyshire, and the small part of Cheshire which separates that county from Lancashire, the line of separation has a general direction to the north-west, across the elevated and mountainous district called the Peak of Derbyshire. From the north western extremity of this portion of the boundary the line runs nearly due north, then west, south-west, north-west, and then, touching upon Bleasdale Moor, takes an irregular course to the north to near Sadhergh. For a abort distance the county is separated from Westmorland by the river Lune, which the boundary-lino leaves about five miles above Sedbergh. It then turns to the east, and again by a very circuitous line to the north, to the junction of the counties of York, Westmor land, and Durham, where it joins the river Tees. The Tees, flowing by Barnard Castle, Yarm, and Stockton, forms the northern boundary of the county from this point to the sea.
The boundary of the North Riding is coincident with that of the county on the north-east, north, and part of the west ; but leaving tho latter about seven miles east-by-north from Sedbergh, the rest of the boundary-line lies chiefly along the course of the river Ure, or Yore, which before reaching York takes tho name of the Ouse. The line which divides the Weat Riding from the East Riding commences at Nun Monkton, at the junction of the Ouse and the Nidd, and runs south-west to near Wetherhy, partly along tho course of the latter river, then along the Wharf° and the Ouse to the point where the Ouse and Trent unite to form the Humber.
Surface, Ilydrography, and Communications.—Tha most striking feature in the conformation of tho surface of this county is the great valley drained by the Ouse and its tributaries, which stretches from near the Tees, in the northern part of the county, to the estuary of the Humber In the south, having a general direction from north to southeiouth-east, and forming the northern slope of the most extensive valley in England, that of the Ouse and Trent. The high land on the eastern boundary of this valley, extending from the Tees to the Humber, forms, as has been previously stated, a bold coast-line, from which, In the northern part of the county, the surface rises, in some parts very suddenly, to a great elevation. In the description of this valley aod its boundaries in the ' Physical and Political Oeography of Great Britain,' in the ' Library of Useful Knowledge,' it Is observed that south of the 'estuary of the Tees we find the commencement of the high lands which lu some places stretch inwards to a distance of from 20 to 30 miles from the coast—in Barnaby Moor, which has an eleration of 734 feet ; in the trigonometrical station of Burleigh Moor; and, a little farther south, in the Ouisborough Bills. These high lands run down to the sea-coast at Hunteliff, and also by the Essington Heights, about midway between the Tees and Whitby, where is a trigonometrical station at an elevation of 631 feet, to Rocliff, or Rockliff, a little farther south. A small depression in the high moors, opening to the sea at Whitby, carries off the drainage of the small valley of the Esk, which runs between the Ouisborough Hills and the elevated Egton Moors, which lie south of it These form part of a aeries of barren elevations which extend from the bold and lofty coast south of Whitby to within about 5 miles of Northallerton, a distance of about 80 miles from the coast. The whole tract of the Eastern
Moorlands, extending about 30 miles from east to west, and 15 miles from north to south, is • wild and mountainous district, intersected by numerous picturesque and fertile valleys. North of Northallertou, where the scarped extremity of the high lands turns eastward, it over looks the vale of Cleveland, which slopes down to the Tees. On the various roads which intersect the district extensive and dreary wastes present themselves, with no boundary but the horizon ; but towards the northern and western escarpments of the moorlands there are some very beautiful prospects. Among the most elevated points of this mountainous region are the trigonometrical stations of Botton Head (1435 feet), Looeehoe Hill (1404 feet), and Black Hambleton, on the western escarpment (1246 feet). Another remarkable summit, which is celebrated as a landmark, and as commanding a most extensive and beautiful view, is the mountain called Roseberry Topping, the height of which is given by Greenough as 1102 feet, near the road from Guisborough to Stokeeley, on the northern escarpment of the high lands.
The valley of the Derwent, which descends from near the sea coast in the neighbourhood of Scarborough, and, inclining towards the south-west, falls into the valley of the Ouse, separates the Eastern Moorlands from the Yorkshire Wolda, which form the continuation of the high lands on the east side of the valley of the Ouse. The ascent of the Wolds, except on their eastern side, is generally steep, but they seldom rise to an elevation exceeding 600 feet, and they are broken and divided by many deep winding valleys. Although their southern extremity presents the finest prospects, there are manypoints on the range from which beautiful views may bo obtained of the Vale of York, the low grounds between the Wolds and Spurn Head, and the Valley of the Derwent, beyond which the Eastern Moorlands rise in the back ground. The peninsular district of Holderness is agree ably diversified in surface, especially towards the eea-coast, within a abort distance of which, close to the town of Hornsea, is the largest lake of the county, called Hornsea Mere, about a mile and three quarters long, and three quarters of a mile broad at the widest part. The western side of Holderness is distinguished by a fenny district known by the provincial name of The Cars,' which extends nearly 20 miles from north to south, with an average breadth of about four miles. As noticed in a previous column, considerable portions of land have been reclaimed from the Humber, and among them may bo named the liolderness drainage, comprising upwards of 11,000 acres, the Beverley and Barrnston drainage, and the Keyinghtim drainage, comprising about 5500 acres. In addition to the great extent of fertile land added to the county by these and several other extensive drainages, the high prices of agricultural produce in this country have led to a great extension of oultivation on the Wolds, which, until about the close of the 18th century, were little better than a large rabbit-warren.