and chiefly runs to the south-east. The Dun, or Don, rises in the hills near the south-west extremity of Yorkshire, where it is called the Sheaf, and running to the southward until it reaches Sheffield, turns to the north-east and falls into the Ouse. The Calder has its source in the border of Lancashire, and entering the south-west side of Yorkshire, runs eastward, and joins the river Aire. The Aire springs from the foot of a hill, called the Pennigent, and with a slow course, chiefly to the eastward, discharges itself into the Ouse. The Wharse or Wherse, rises among the hills in the west of Yorkshire, and flows with a swift and impetuous current, chiefly to the south-east, till it falls into the Ouse. The Swale rises among the north-west hills of Yorkshire, and, running to the south-east, joins the Nidd about four miles below Boroughbridge. The Derwent, which divides the North and East Ridings, rises in the northeast part of Yorkshire, near the sea-coast, between Whitby and Scarborough, and first running to the south, winds to the west, and again to the south, falling at length into the Ouse. The river Hull has its source in the Woulds, whence it runs chiefly to the southward, passing near Bev erley, and falls into the Humber. Into each of these rivers a great number of rivulets discharge themselves.

The Humber is formed at the confluence of the Ouse, and may rather be considered as a narrow bay than a river, being throughout its short course of an extreme width. Its whole extent to Spurnhead, a narrow peninsula which terminates Yorkshire to the south-east, does not exceed thirty-six miles. By one of the rivers which flow into it, Yorkshire partakes, however, of the advantages derived from the great modern improvement, canals. A communication has been made between the western and eastern coasts, across Lancashire and Yorkshire, by a canal which proceeds from the river Mersey, at Liverpool, to the Ouse, at Selby, sixteen miles above its junction with the Humber. It crosses the county of York, from Holme-bridge, four miles north-west of Skipton, to the Ouse, passing by Leeds; and has two subordinate branches, one leading to Bradford, and another to the vicinity of Wakefield, to facilitate the communication between that place and Halifax.

THE FORTH.

THIS river, the most considerable in Scotland, has its origin from a lake under Ben Lomond, in the western angle of Sterlingshire, and runs eastward to Stirling, near which place it unites with the Teith, and forms Lake Katherine. From Stirling it flows west by south, and mixes with the German Ocean by a wide estuary, called the Firth of Forth. From its origin to Berwick, at the mouth of the Firth, its course, exclusive of windings, is seventy-five miles. It is navigable as far as Stirling for vessels of eighty tons burthen. Its winding stream, skirted by woods, by fertile and wellcultivated plains, and occasional ancient ruins; its waters, at times spreading themselves from a small breadth to the expanse of a lake; and the Lennox and Oichill hills rising from its northern bank, afford many pleasing and delightful prospects. A canal now joins this river to the Clyde.

THE TAY.

THIS river, springing from Benmore, on the western borders of Perthshire, runs north-east to a lake of the same name, one of the most beautiful in Scotland, at the extremity of which, being joined by the Lyon, it continues the same course to Logierait, where it receives the waters discharged by the Tumel river, from the lakes Ericht, under Ben Alar, the Rannoch, and the Tumel. From Logierait it flows south by east between Great and Little Dunkeld, and bends eastward, curving again to Cargil: near Cargil it receives the Isla from Forfar, and turns southward to Perth, receiving the river Earn from a lake of a similar name westward. It empties itself, by an estuary called the Firth of Tay, into the German Ocean. This river is navigable for vessels of burthen above Perth: the length of its course is nearly a hundred miles.

THE SHANNON.

AMONG the many navigable rivers of Ireland, the noble river Shannon asserts its preeminence. If the extent of its course, the richness and fertility of the fine country it waters, its great subserviency to commerce, and the excellent bay at its mouth, be considered, it may fairly rank among the most eminent rivers of Europe. It has its origin in

Lough or Lake Nean, eleven miles east-south-east of Sligo, the chief town of the county of that name, in the province of Connaught; whence, passing under Ballyntrane bridge, after a south-south-east course of five miles, it falls into Lough Allen. To Carrack, traversing this lake latitudinally, its course, for eight miles, is nearly south.There it receives a stream which brings it from the right the superfluity of the waters of Lough Gara, and Lough Key; and after a winding course in a south east direction, it flows into Lough Boffin, ten miles from Carrick. From the south-eastern extremity of the lake it takes a southwest direction, its current being now much broader, to Lough Ree, which it joins at Langsborough, and leaves at Athlone, seventeen miles south-south-east of its entrance into the lake. Thence bending to the west it receives the Suck from the right at Raghery nearly seventeen miles south-south-west of Athlone; and five miles beyond this point, the Brosna, from the left at Banagher, south-southwest of Raghery. From Banagher it makes a long course towards the west, and fourteen miles south-west of that place joins Lough Derg, which at Ballaloe, twenty-two miles south-south-west of its entrance into the Lough, it quits, pursuing the same course to Limerick, eleven miles distant, whence its direction is west by south to the sea. Between Limerick and the sea it receives several small rivers from the county of Clare; and the Maig, with others of inferior size, from the county of Limerick, on the left; and at its mouth the Cushion from Kerry. The mouth of this

beautiful river is free from any bar, and forms a capacious bay eleven miles long, and from six to eight in breadth, exempt from every species of danger, and from any strong current; but, unfortunately, much exposed to western gales : some few sunken rocks, also, between Achnish Isle and Limerick, require a pilot's skill to avoid. This river is navigable from its mouth to Limerick for vessels of large burthen, and for vessels of inferior draught as far as BalAyntrane-bridge, at the extremity of Lough Allen, a hundred and eighty miles from abreast of Kerry Head. From Limerick, to avoid the rocks and shallows at the bend, a canal is cut seven miles in length; and the Grand Canal from Dublin, joining this river at Banagher, a communication is formed between the Shannon and the Irish sea.

LAKES.

AMERICAN LAKES,

The northern parts of this division of the globe are distinguished by their numerous and immense lakes, the five principal of which lie either wholly, or chiefly, in the two Canadian provinces: these are the lakes SUPERIOR, HURON, ONTARIO, ERIE, and MICHIGAN. These vast assemblages of fresh water, which are neither put in motion, nor alternately raised and sunk, by tides, are supposed to contribute very considerably to the greater degree of cold felt in the northern parts of America, than in the same parallels of latitude in Europe. They are situated within about seven degrees of latitude, and fourteen of longitude, or from 41° 35' to 49° north, and from 75° 20′ to 92° west.

LAKE SUPERIOR.

THIS great North American Lake is justly entitled to the distinguished name it bears, not only because it is the largest expanse of fresh water in the known world, surpassing in magnitude the Asiatic salt-water lake improperly denominated" the Caspian sea," but because it has a much greater elevation than the other lakes of that country, the level of its waters being several hundred feet higher than the river St. Laurence. Its circumference is estimated at about fifteen hundred miles; but it has been observed by an intelligent navigator, Carver, that "if it were coasted round, and the utmost extent of each of the bays taken, it would exceed sixteen hundred !" He coasted nearly twelve hundred miles on the north and eastern shores. "When it was calm," he observes, "and the sun shone bright, I could sit in my canoe, where the depth was upwards of six fathoms, and could plainly see huge piles of stones at the bottom. The water at this time was pure and transparent as the air, and my canoe seemed as if it hung suspended in that element. It was impossible to look attentively, through this limpid medium, at the rocks beneath, for even a few minutes without feeling the

head swim, and the eyes no longer able to view the dazzling scene. This occurred in the month of July; and, although the surface of the water, from the heat of the atmosphere, was warm, still on letting down to the depth of about a fathom, the water drawn thence was so excessively cold, that it had nearly the same effect as ice, when taken into the mouth.

Lake Superior is said to receive nearly forty rivers and streams of water; the two principal rivers are the Alanipegon, from the north, and the Michipicooton, from the west. By the means of the latter a communication is established with the lakes of Bourbon, Winnipeek, and du Bois; and in this river the source of the St. Laurence is said to have been traced. A small river on the west, before it enters the lake, has a perpendicular fall from the top of a mountain, of more than six hundred feet, through a very narrow channel. In this lake, which has one passage only, St. Mary's strait, for the discharge of its waters, there are many islands, two of which are of great extent. The largest of them, Isle Royal, is nearly a hundred miles from east to west, and about forty miles from north to south. Miropau Isle is likewise of considerable extent; and at the entrance of West Bay is a cluster of small islands, called, "The twelve Apostles." On the south side of the lake is a peninsula, which spreads into the lake sixty miles.

LAKE HURON.

THIS lake is next in magnitude to the one described above, being about a thousand miles in circumference. Its shape is nearly triangular; and on its north side is an island nearly an hundred miles in extent from east to west, and about eight from north to south: it is called by the Indians Manataulin, which signifies the abode of spirits. At the west point of the lake are the straits of Michillimackinac, which unite with lake Michigan; and about fifty miles to the north-east of these straits are those of St. Mary, by which lake Huron communicates with lake Superior.They are about forty miles in length, and have fails, which are not, however, perpendicular, like those of Niagara, but the waters of which pass along a sloping bottom, and are on that account named THE RAPIDS. These are about three