GENERAL GEOGRAPHY. 9

was but a continuation of the river Susquehan-
na. Much of the products of the extensive
country watered by this river are brought upon
its periodical floods to the emporium of Mary-
land; but the difficulties presented by its rapids,
obstruct a return of trade. Artificial courses
have not yet been attempted to sufficient extent,
and the state of Maryland, it ts feared, is look-
ing on with too much indifference, whilst her
more industrious neighbors are cutting off, by
turnpikes, canals, and rail-roads, the vast advan-
tages which nature had so kindly directed into
her bosom.

Tide water ascends the Susquehanna only
a few miles above the mouth of the river, and
terminates at Port Deposit, ten miles below the
Maryland line. Here a succession of rapids
commence, which continue to interrupt the as-
cending navigation for nearly fifty miles, to
Columbia. The descent in that distance is es-
timated at one hundred and forty feet, and the
navigation is practicable only during high fresh-
ets. Twenty miles above Colombia are the
Conawago Falls, around which, a canal has
been dug, one mile in length. From these Falls
the ascending navigation improves and meet's
no serious obstacle for batteaux, up to the Ot-
sego and Otego Lakes in New York.

The value of the descending trade of the
Susquehannah in 1822, was estimated at one
million, one hundred and sixty-eight thousand,
nine hundred and fifty-four dollars.