31

current in water, it can well be understood why this region
should be generally free from low grounds, swamps and mar-
shes, and how easily these may be drained when they have acci-
dentally been made by the washings of the roads in filling up
the'beds of streams which they cross. To this cause is to be at-
tributed many of the small marshes which exist in this sec-
tion and from the above it is conclusive how easily and per-
fectly they may be effectually drained and converted into the
most valuable land.

What is true of this peninsula hold equally true of that
lying between the Patuxent on the West and the different
arms of the bay and the bay itself on the East

In proof of all this I submit the following levels and distances
from tide water at Washington to tide water on the Severn
river above Annapolis. A careful scrutiny of the levels and
distances is particularly requested:

The following are the field notes, showing the elevations
above tide, also the distances between the same, upon the
several lines designated as ''Lower Line A," "Upper Line
B," and "Round Bay Line C."