Being honour'd with the Thanks of the Society for my last, and receiving by my worthy Friend Dr.Moulintheir Commands to proceed, I have added here my Observations of the Waters, and part of the Earth and Soil. I shall wave both Complements and Apologies, since I have greater Respect and Honour for the Society than I can possibly express, and have no reason to suspect their Favour, whose Candidness I so signally proved in my last.
'Twixt the two Capes, the Southern, call'd theCape Henry, the more Northerly call'dCape Charles, there runs up a great Bay, call'd the Bay ofCheesepeak; nine Leagues over in some places, in most Seven, lying much West, Nore and South, dividingVirginiainto two unequal Parts. On the East side of this Bay there lies a narrow neck of Land, which makes the Counties ofNorthamptonandAccomack. On the West side of the Bay there branches forth four great Rivers,James River,York River,RapahanackandPotomack, that rise from a ridge of Mountains, whereof more in the Sequel. These Rivers plentifully water all the other parts ofVirginia, emptying themselves into the great Bay. The Mouth ofJames River, which is the most Southerly of them, the Mouth ofPotomack, which is the most Northerly, may be a hundred Miles distance: But as I have been credibly inform'd that the Falls ofJames Riverare not past thirty Miles fromPotomack, which is a vast large River nine Miles over in many places. I have been told it was Navigable nigh two hundred Miles, much higher than any of the other Rivers: Whence I conclude in future times, it will be the most considerable for Trade when the Country comes to be inhabited further up into the main Land. The other Rivers are much about three Miles over a piece. AndJames Riveris Navigable at least eighty Miles. Within four or five Miles ofJames Town,James RiverandYork Riverare not past four or five Miles asunder. Yea, Sloops of considerable Carriage may Sail up the Branches of the two Rivers, till they come within a Mile the one of the other; for I take it to be no more from Col.Bollardsto MajorTroop's Landing, and I believe they may come much what as near again as Col.Coles, and several other places.YorkRiver is distant fromRapahanackin some places not past ten or twelve Miles,RapahanackfromPotomacknotpast seven Miles in one place, tho' it may be sixty in others. The Heads of the Branches of the Rivers interfere and lock one within another, which I think is best expressed after the manner that anIndianexplained himself once to me, when I enquired how nigh the Rivers ofCarolina,VirginiaandMarylandarose out of the Mountains? from those that ran Westerly on the other side of the Mountains, he clapt the Fingers of one Hand 'twixt those of the other, crying, they meet thus; the Branches of different Rivers rising not past a hundred Paces distant one from another: So that no Country in the World can be more curiously watered. But this conveniency, that in future times may make her like theNetherlands, the richest place in allAmerica, at the present I look on the greatest Impediment to the advance of the Country, as it is the greatest Obstacle to Trade and Commerce. For the great number of Rivers and the thinness of the Inhabitants distract and disperse a Trade. So that all Ships in general gather each their Loading up and down an hundred Miles distant; and the best of Trade that can be driven is only a sort ofScotchPeddling; for they must carry all sort of Truck that trade thither, having one Commodity to pass off another. This (i. e.) the number of Rivers, is one of the chief Reasons why they have no Towns; for every one being more sollicitous for a private Interest and Conveniency, than for a publick, they will either be for making forty Towns at once, that is, twoin every Country, or none at all, which is the Countries Ruin. But to return, The Tides in these Rivers regularly ebb and flow about two Foot perpendicular atJames Town; there is there, as they call it, a Tide and half Tide, that is, it flows near two hours along by the Shoar, after that it is ebb in the Channel, and again it ebbs near two Hours by the Shoar, after that it is Flood in the Channel. This is great advantage to the Boats passing up and down the River. I suppose this is caused by many Creeks and Branches of the Rivers, which being considerable many, tho' only three or four Miles long, yet as broad as theThamesatLondon; others ten Miles long, some above twenty, that have little fresh Water which they carry of their own, but their Current primarily depending upon the Flux and Re-flux of the Sea. So that after the Tide is made in the Channel, it flows by the Shoar a considerable time afterwards, being that those Creeks are still to fill, and therefore as it were draws up a Source upwards by the Shoar; and likewise when the Tide returns in the Channel, the Creeks that could not so readily disburse their Water, being still to empty themselves, they make an ebbing by the Shoar a considerable time after that it is Flood, as I say, in the Channel. So far as the Salt Waters reach the Country is deemed less healthy. In the Freshes they more rarely are troubled with the Seasonings, and those Endemical Distempers aboutSeptemberandOctober. This being very remarkable,I refer the Reason to the more piercing Genius of those most judicious Members of the Society: And it might perhaps be worthy the Disquisition of the most Learned to give an Account of the various alterations and fatal effects that the Air has on humane Bodies, especially when impregnated with a Marine Salt; more peculiarly when such an Air becomes stagnant: This might perhaps make several beneficial Discoveries, not only in relation to those Distempers inAmerica, but perhaps take in yourKentishAgues, and many others remarkable enough in our own Nation. I lately was making some Observations of this nature, on a Lady of a delicate Constitution, who living in a clear Air, and removing towards the Sea-Coast, was lamentably afflicted therewith, which both my self and others attributed to this Cause, she having formerly upon her going to the same, been seized in the same manner. But to return: There is one thing more in reference to this very thing very remarkable inVirginia, generally twice in the Year, Spring and Fall, at certain Spring-Tides, the most of the Cattle will set on gadding, and run, tho' it be twenty or thirty Miles, to the River to drink the Salt Water, at which time there's scarce any stopping of them; which the People know so well, that if about those times their Herds are stray'd from their Plantations, without more sollicitation they go directly to the Rivers to fetch them home again. As for the Waters in the Springs in general, they are, I think, somewhat moreeager than those inEngland. In that I have observed, they require some quantity more of Malt to make strong Beer than ourEnglishWaters, and will not bear Soap. I have try'd several by infusing of Galls, and found little difference in the Colours, turning much what the Colour of common Sack in Taverns. I tried two Wells at Col.Birds, by the Falls ofJames River, several Wells nearJames Town, some Springs in theIsle of Wight County: There's a Spring in theIsle of Wight, orNanzamond County, vents the greatest Source of Water I ever saw, exceptingHoly-well in Wales, but I had not opportunity to make Experiments thereof. I tried likewise some Springs on the Banks ofYork River, inNew KentandGloucester County, but found them vary very little as to Colour. I could not try any thing as to their specifick Gravity, having neither Aquapoise, nor those other Glasses I had contrived peculiarly for making such Experiments, they being all lost with my other things. I had Glasses blown would hold about five Ounces, others about ten Ounces, with Necks so small, that a Drop would make a considerable Variation; with these I could make much more critical and satisfactory Observations as to the specifical Gravity of Liquors, having critical Scales, than by any other way yet by me tried. I used this method to weigh Urines, which Practice I would recommend to the Inquisitive and critical Physicians. I had made many Observations hereof, but all Notes werelikewise lost with my other things. Yet I have begun afresh; for there are more signal Variations in the Weights of Urines than one would at first imagin; and when the Eye can discover little, but judge two Urines to be alike, they may be found to differ very much as to Weight. By Weight I find Observations may be made of Affections in the Head, which rarely make any visible Alterations in the Urine. I have found two Urines not much unlike differ two and twenty Grains in the quantity of about four or five Ounces: But let them that make these Essays weigh all their Urines when cold, lest they be thereby deceiv'd. But to return to the Spring Waters inVirginia. There's a Spring at my LadyBerkley's, calledGreen-Spring, whereof I have been often told, so very Cold, that 'tis dangerous drinking thereof in Summer-time, it having proved of fatal Consequence to several. I never tried any thing of what Nature it is of.
There be many petrifying Waters; and indeed I believe few of the Waters but participate of a petrifying Quality, tho' there be few Pebbles or paving Stones to be found in all the Country. But I have found many Sticks with crusty Congelations round them in the Ruins of Springs, and Stones figured like Honey-Combs, with many little Stars as it were shot in the Holes. And nothing is more common than petrefy'd Shells, unless youwould determine that they are parts of natural Rock shot in those Figures, which indeed I rather think; but thereof hereafter. Mr. SecretarySpencerhas told me of some Waters participating much ofAlomeorVitrioltowardsPotomack. Up beyond the Falls ofRapahanackI have heard of Poisonous Waters. But these I only mention as a hint to further Enquiry of some others, for I can say nothing of them my self.