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but little knowledge of that part of the Country; the Commissioners ap-
pointed to ntarke out the Road I am Informed have little or none. It is
possible upon a more Intimate knowledge of these parts, that a place more
Convenient than that Directed by the Bill tray be Discovered. At any
rate it seems like beginning at the wrong End. For no place can with pro-
priety be fixed upon for the road to sett out from, till it is assertained
how
High up pototuack River, is capalle of heing made Navegable. From
v, fiat Enquiries I have made, together with the Little knowledge which I
have of that part of the Country and River, I rnav Venture to affirm that
upon a survey, it will be found to be as hasv to Continue the Navigation
for a Considerable Distance (at Least Twenty Miles) above Cumberland,
as it will be to make it Navigable belmv; above Cumberland the River is
far from being so wide as below. In the Summer and Fall it Receives
but little or no Stipp] y from Wills Creek, therefore in these Seasons it
k\ ill he found to leave more Water a fete miles above, than it appears to
have below. and as the River is so much Narrower above. the Water is
f)ceper, and wherever it may be Requisite to Confine the water, it will
trout the same Cause (I mean the Conteguity of its Banks) be easier
accomplished: if therefore the navigation can be Continued so far above
(:umberland, it is probably that a shorter Land ('otnmunecation with the
.\lonongahela may be Discovered than by a road to Start from Cumber-
land. 1 take it not upon tue to say Certainly that this may be the Case;
I am not so well acquainted with the ('ountrv as to affirm it; But as the
River Continues its Course about South West and breaks Into the allegany
tuottntains 'Old 1luiis up opposite to where (heat on the West Side, a prin-
cipal Fork of the \lonongahela, form; a Considerable river, it is not
Improbably and therefore worth Enquering into wether a Communication
Between the two Rivers may not liee~ccon,plished by a Carrying place of
I hirty or at most of Forty miles. I .should also Deem a Carrying place
hcre full as Convenient, as if it led Derectly to pitt, for the Monongahela
r the Current of which is Gentle as 'fide water) and the Conaway 33 Rivers
when they are Navigable are not more than Twelve or Fifteen Miles, and
a good Level Coutnrv assunder, a 11111CII readier and Easier Communication
would he opened to the Inhabitants on that Extensive River. as well as to
the Inhabitants on the Ohio. But the leave these Schemes at Least for the
present in Speculation and Return to the Design more Inteadeatly under
Consideration. the Step which appears Requesite to be first taken is to
obtain an Accurate Survey of the River from the most Conveniant Land-
ing above the Great Falls up to Cumberland, and Indeed Higher, in which
the. Fall of the River ought to be Carefully- Laid down with the Depths of
Water and particularly marking such Rapids as may appear to stand in
Need of being either made Deeper or the Current Lessened. From this
plan or profile some ludgruent tnav he form'd with a tollerable degree of
('ertainty how far it tnay be prudent to undertake and tho I much fear
from a survey that the fall will be found to be too Great to admit of being
made Navegable for Vessells of Considerable burthen, Yet if it can be
Compleated so as to admit of Vessells Carrying from Ten to Fifteen Ton
tvith the Stream. it will be accomplishing an object of Great moment.
the Dificualtv of Erecting Locks and the Uncertainty of maintaining them
in the bed of Large Rivers are found to be Extreamly precarious. and
often times the end not anstvered. which Demonstrates that works of that
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