THOMAS J. UlSlA ,
FttOPttlGTOIt. . ., ,
TEBXVIS ,
tiicirTiV tbra dollar per sootna-bull
t advance.
U Permt wtMing Wfchot.t lb fc
,.iirtJ to pay the waoii amount of the year's tub
Hriutiw in advene. ;
RATES OF ADVERTISING. '
Fc r7 j"r (ol eteeediog 16 ""llaei IKI list
type Srat iatrrtion, owe dollar; each anbtrqoenl
hjtertioa, twentj.fivweeattt.
The odv ertiiementi of Clerk and BberhTa will
he charged 85 per test, higheriand a deduction of
JJ per cent, will be ninda from ib regular pri
ed for edveriitert bjr (be year.
$J Letter! lo (he Editor. MVtr be pott-paid.
' j " 1
II -I " I lit ' '
VOL, XXXI
" North Caromxa Powerful iu moral, in intellectual, and in physical resources the land of our aires, and the horn, of our affection. "
RALEIGH N,r 0 WEDNESDAY DECMBKR 9, fSJO.
FOIl
nrnKiivs i-ititctiosi
I mi: EDUCATION Ol'
ULeft 0.ThVf rHabtWniwnt tw toff-ll remove
,4 tu tHripaHMit and elegant eriiliee ktioa at
Mitl Wosblngtoa) Houte, at South Motion, and i.
now rea'ly f-.r the reception end iiiali iieliun ul young
hind penon of either act from any pu I ol Hie eouu.
'" lie taliibrity ol the loealion, the (acilitiri for era
bt'limg. "d the extent of (he edifice, which i.flVri
tfie room! lor the pupil t, make Ihia ealabliah.
tent drairable reiidraee lor Ihoas young blind
ueriont who detire luprrkir accomodation!.
The eourae of inumetiun comprehend! reading,
writing, arithmetie.nlgebra.nnd gesmetryt geography,
tutor), natural tnd moral pbilotophy, ice. bit , be
aiaVi Ibe theory and practice id muiic. 'I'boM
shodrtiieit may acquire a baowlrdge ol llie -licnt
and modem langaagva.
(borough and'acientitia knowledge of mutir, and
npiriuiiitir ol practice upon tint piaitiwlorte and niv
can, arc given to all, beaiitea whieli tl.tt i I Hiny
rle any inttrument which be wnhet tu Irarn
Particular attention it given to phyiical eduea urn
Tia.t Hoard ami tuition, with the- wtenf hooka
ail rauatcal iintiumrnn, trom $I5U to $il ier u-
Win. ' 'or tttoae wno wiin 10 nm:j me inju;rtt
artorfcfrvc r$irit mhim-hj mt
''laaoTe wdl cotir all theu UHim
Kitriicnininudati'n rhrgFiin reatouablc pro
,l)UOII.
The moat faorah!c age lor irtati action U betwerl.
the b anl I ll'h j ran.
Tli liillowiiiK Knib m'n, are rminrrtcd with the
ilireniun ol the liitiilulioii and may lie rebrietl tut
Prtrr C llrocki, Tliomx II. I'crkiua. I'Hcr It Ih.
h, Edeaid lliooka, Sainntl A Klli.it, Jnhn I).
Fiiber, 'fboroaaK. Cary. Jubn Horn ana, Jumrf K
Milla, Uolunt Itunloul, oaniutl I jimt, Sintu-I l),
Otiai Ufddwin, Horace Mann, Kubnl t V intbri'p.
Fur peXfteular information addn the Directm,
Or. S. G. Howe, Uoiion, to aliom all appluatioiia
liould be made.
N. B No pcruini will be reeeieed while umler
airdieal treatment for the recovery of light.
July 3. i" J m.
IIOKUID DCPIIAVITV
Some n'ltoi ioui Couulerfeilcra have nearir killed
evrfal pcrjOnt by Mlfing Ttietif spnriout "iii'A falie
If UUil
Roanok6 and (lie
certainly have left
Itavo enatfetl them
Drake eavo litem, antl
main through ll.e maptihes, Sir Rielmrtl wouM! tmthes, ha. had in tloai
ihem o rw.fi ftomt kind, one thai ! wiW,lWb- ftUea lo Vamlk
to cross f it. The hark whieli ir Knini-I. ..fOcntcrfcke Inlet -Fin
of which he
- siooia
or
ILLS . G7"71T1T, CITIL E1TG-I1TEEH,
vroi
THE mAHlCWWTtJ&D.mQRAmM:.iXffl
op orENtxo
AN INLET
NAG'S II EADi
INll Hl-niii.id 1 1 ho la nn li! Lit.. iS!a l:..t.....,l
rAG a head. ?i? J.t. ieu. t ii.n , . .k i.t s-e .1.-. t.t v ...i t. l ... . .-.i
r, m . prormenls. ., , ' I Gorernoi Lane lajs, the colony was reduced to a (Wprratv
t fl rr aa.k"S b"r 7' B!ed "tp" ',0rbIe for the m an t of provisions, and tl, Imlility of the Indian..
-I.-T1- ' -v. . w. constanily lessening our numlers. antl the fatnine crew so ex
I " " . report upon ine praeucHDHHy anu pn uaute lreme ftInoD U9 0UP mC8n, rHmnK ll$ j Ml; ,kat I wa9 enrotewf
"1' ' eommuBiraiion nnwren Amemarie nouna unu lo .end Capt. Slaffurd with 20 men, to Croulan, my
1 ! 1 : I. IS- . ' "
numi McQueen, r - - .
.TUPS. J LEMAY,S ""-
VJLfl,c p0 1 y thfit ,,,e, ' VnVrf
IF llirre ahonld happen to he an mm inaerdn.
luaaaaiad obi t r filii at inr Hf priei,
alter th abtMdwH .rvi ahich bur Im natM
I thKir Hi,aur 1 vrtt ttMt ,! j,,,.,
i(1iil in.j t 'kr m t t!,t wurnrnnti n.l n It
thawonelit Wimf i nln,, p, J ,j ji, ,1,
CM b bat lit K ilib any way tu bm ii'g a ISian front -a
ar)lrrbn hi..ri..,rfrtl...r....ll.1.,ui , (
IllM.tttrrraellli-gahad noe, ,.H riHainU i rk
whateert. wbrr p.,tui rtantteti ni.t I
lafattHMi ie give. : j , . . ,
'J!b md fwe at f fitr$ l'rfr,Lm , f 1
On . - -
: JgL JIL-! J i ' n at ii 1.1 I -, .
oins it, viz: because the aet csslnn of water '
J n ...ll V'U VdB.Hl r niiH.lilflltr.l.l. . un ...' I .1.1 .1 n ...... K M
i iTT A , r J . V . r : - t" Handing die Mtlr of the inlet has hecomc
l . .T 7.;." .'V ".'" no.,i..e.eiiT, or ,,, be-B exWclnU'M natural
i u miri wit mil . mi iiua-K ,- wuuvaati i nnnuia i at n m a akiia.uai tot ,. -
...,.. ,v ... .-;.. .-nun Hiioalsun the Inner side, and opprwitet
; a;"k' k' " w" 1 a,e '"'""l"""0"'-,. W , I.BT.terainImtMl for it H there thai 1 he ,
a.v.vm wmvn vn uur ia RIM i, Ul ,1 lie mm HOOruru IT1 !hle--rit.i, XVu ttnil IHimtlo.,' In
m Lord Atlini.
and fomnnny,
and the other to watch fur shipping, and give warning, if anjr ap
"8th June, 1-SG. Cnme ndverlisenicnl to me from Capt. Star-
to com meiit-e the survey in Aui-il or Slav. whit-It 1 reDorivd in
my communicalion of the 27tlt Fchruaryi as indipensnhlc o an
enquiry so difficult and imporlnnt, I repaired on the 25th April
lo the town of Newhern, with a comnelciil imrLV of abbicianis.-
ummuw wovernmenr.affaminf mewotent frr mP?m WtiWMmmiiWUitm&tiftilti!
y .M;"lT.Vi,cH: ) lor tlankHWand, -where arrived safely, fcHer a t or my pas- iaTi , ravvI tod ,y land 20 miles. lie (.rniiglrt men letter from
I a8V on ",c 20,l, amliminedialely commenced the btirvey and ex- i;(,r(,,.u rip vn',u nt.. uu kffi,.4 ..r antii.!i....rvM.la.
annnanoos, upon wliu h, and lite information I have been able lo Blu,null;nori. antl siMmTie.-. Pall soi ts tie -lOrfi henrrivcd in
ford, at it y; I jo r d Atliniral'ti island, that Ite had discovered a great
collect, I ltae the following rcnort and conclusions:
tiiuie tt llavi
The genuine it warranted perfectly harmlrtt and
lE ttnal Never buy the ailiele nnlett it bare the
Tltieiitgnatio GOttstl OCta fc JU;- tm tire
tplemliil wrapier. 1'hat firm aratulrly- anthoriavd
la mke and tell the trua article. Utigmal
Pruurk-tor.
- r SOWM0N w.mr
P. S. Th Irne Hayt' Liniment it warranted to
tare I'iIci anil Klirauiatitiu, In all tain, or no pay
taken lor it.
kTDticVd BALM .F COLU Mill
Kemember the genuine at ileaci Ibrd below,
'I hia it eerlineri lo bytetial Maynra, Minitlert
al the Gotpel, Britith Cnntul, Phy tiaiani, and
great number of onr taott bonoiatle citiiena, tu be
teen abere it U told. '
PARING FRAUD!
Thit article hat been imitattd by a nnt.irinai conn
tnleiur. IIU nrvcr lie pnirlit,-il or ntrd unlett
it hive the name of L S. CO MS I OCK.or tiie tigna.
lure of t;OMS l'tM;K h CO. on a tptendid wiap.
per. Thit it the only external tt'tl that will actio
the public from deception.
A ennttant tupily of the above rattiaM prepata.
tioa will be kept lor tela by
W. I. M.lStliK Ic CO.
11 co Km
the road of our bad harbour, and camt lo author: On the 1 1 c Is,
I visiiedjliiin, and he rencwetl his oflers of assistance. lUih June,
15', the fleet having been previously injured by a storm, set sail
wilh the whole colony for England. "
1 quote these fiH-fsr because they have been considered ef suffi
cient importani'e to be called to the view of one of the Engineers
who has preceded me in enquiring into the practicability of re
opening Roanoke Inlet. And my researches into the early histo
ry of this portion of the eoa-t, ' wh eh have been very elaborate,
enable me lo satisfy doubts which have heen entertained on the
The belt of land which now stretches across the mouth of AI
hrniarle Sound, and separates it from the sea, was formerly1 bro
ken by several inlels. I'hr two best known, and which were long
used for purposes of navigation, were the Roanoke and Cur
rituck, Inlels, through which the waters of the sound were dis
chargeil.into the ocean. Roanoke Inlet was situated just south of
a sand hill called .Nag's Head, between Collinton and Roanoke
Islands.
Deriving my information from the' best" authenticated history,
and trom living testimony, l reel ItiHv jusiiticil in slating, mat .uject, stating that Sir Walter Italeigli never
I here was, prior to the opening r the channel liirougn the N,.ili Ametit.a. NWtv nil hU writii.fr. ifluil
mai sites between Roanoke Island and the main, a depth of 1Q iis!)Vered by exiwditions fitted out by hifMf have been lostt at also
fr?1 bUitteograph; otUie.&.eouiitic.:v.. LLi
ttMm.tol)iSn3g9.. r v I have been favored with a perusal of Doc'l er Harlot's journal j
lael us enquire into the caiiscs which have led lo its closing u,, wIieltv it was thought, would throw much light on this Import
and into the means of. rc-opcnuig it.. .. , . . v - T. ant subject and aid Ja the enquiries in which I am cngagedj but
It is well known, that the constant tendency Of every harbour t vioy laken up in speaking or merchantable commodities,
is to silt or fill up, more or less, according to silualiont and as the r0nimodiiies for food, roots, fruits, wild berries, beasts, fowl, flh,
quantity-tf fresh water,, and the impurity of
waters, uitler in one place rroin another, I ho sea Is incessantly ,,otone word aboat the coast, Islands or rivers.- It is sufficiently
.A .a I' . . " 1 I .1 . . . . " . . - . "
e &ountt, bus not rauseu an improvrtucnt.
m rM flfta taMaul M ft. MMa lata M 1 ltamt lt.Aat.4k alal.a.
. i " v , a a. w . n iinui flsifii ivw m iia v iitrH mini
says they stotm in so much , 0b.i. tb- .-i,.,,, r n,a, u l. ...tu
creaier. Hut. in .
ctinsequeiiee, the bnlklieadr
he tiio.lh of ilii'-lnlci. ;
Ylbciuarle waters meet
the contliet V hieh, lakes
place, there is a kind of stagnation or diminished velwiiyj during
which, lite solid matter held in suspension is precipitated., so Hi hi
uflcHhc union of these waters, they flow on com puruti rely pui t
to the sea, leaving behind deposits which form the haJkhvails and. I
shoals that obstruct the entrance into Ocracocke ,u!et. . 1rir this
reason, the accession of the waters of Albeuiarlo Sound hv prov. ,
ed injurious t I ho Inlet. "
Upon tho wlUidrawalof (he these waters, as Is proposed in the o
penins of Roanoke Inlet, when (he waters of ihe lauilicv& Neue
shall be allowed i pursue their direct and undistributed course ,
through Ueeraeoke, theoeposiis w ill aot be so grratr & a eonsldei "
able improvement of the inlet may be expected, and will no doubt
ie mult s H ut a swash or jn lnlri. ;
must always exist, owing to the great expanse of (be waters; and
the consequent Independent and great me of water at the bar,
which Is not relt In the sound, counleraets and destroys the scour.
B ww X. ...
ing meets or lite ew uues, .mis evil can only uo remedied hy
confining the waters and directing their energies into one chan
nel. , I onsidering and com pat ing the circumstances in I elation to
the two Inlets, even the small depth of Hater at ( lent coke Is'favora
bio' to the conclusion 1 shall vnscnily draw of the lucccssful re
sult attending the pr 'jcct for i-e-opeuing the inlet at Nag's Head.
Shutting oir the watet l ot the Alitcmarlc Sound Troiu the ram
lico ound, will hare the effect to improve New Inlet; - The wa
ters blownr op the sound by the south winds, as before tiicntioned,
meeting wtui resistance Ironi the Hunts ;-eioss Hounoko and troa-
nly
a-
portion orthe swash, and by taking ad vantage of low tides '
lo" tlif up tho sand. "whieheaa be done a very moderate ei .
.ii. ,nVtanunds, will be banked lip and forced th ough (he inlet O
vhited tho coast of. 0 me, distant rrofo the dams) wlikn VeletityiUt will ut
iveto the countries wjiy ftp()l.(on f the swash, aad hy taking ad vantage of low tit)
nensritlicpwithlh
bo entindy removed. .The advantages to Ihe commerce of the
northern part of Pamlied 8ound and the entire seiui liy the hur
boii r Tvould ifTord to Vessels driven io leeward of Roan kr Inlet;
would more than compensate for any expense that mijcht be in
curred In keeping It open and of asufflciCBt depth for the admit
tance nrdinary7 " ' -
I' has hren suggested that Albemarle Bound will not aiTurd
bringing in sand and olher substances t he si reams,, soil and mud; Hear, thcrcforj- without extendinc our view lurthcr: that in some i ! . "W" "V f""""" T" V" ;
nd Vmls tl.rt unrrent of ilm lun.l i. H.Vinlv ...mfinrd in e ine,t,'"r, wk"ou,: cxicnuitif; ou r tewsviu riitrr, i nss.1. in some i auppijr , f Wate4LbIeuate to keep Hounuke In ct ficc of nUs ruo-
and i.nlehs he '"rmu of lh land waters is mainly 'n fined to flM.ineP agc u.cre f as no chan-el through the marshes, that at ih ' ,Ua. ment illawance lvu not I.eeO u.ud tue,vunu..,ltt,
marshes into the ocean, and the mouths of some of the longest Roanoke Island, at the time of its discovery and settlement, in " t:ljr!tillmau fuile Would n..n..n m..- itm-'.rt
. ...n..i.t tn ti,;a t- i... i t r.. n a-o. ex, . . .. . .... . t . i . . .1 o invcbtfiraicineseTnauen luiiy, wouiu occupy more time and i
7 eomoiere.. ' " " " 4 ' r,l,"n Tom ",B '""Tf.?7 Tr7"'7wllhettF iiioN expinsvV tbas 1 eonsiier them w iihyof, unlcis in-
UUl-ll aavcit in" inii aavio. niv n ain i vi tnv J.im iui iv npi nil. nprn IllO CttUSO Ul eiOBlHtT If OUHOIkG Snlcl. HUtl- CfCrv luiei I
, PROCLAM ATIOU
mo HCXURED DOl.MKS in:wjnn
V HIS KXCSM.KSCY KtlWARD B. OrDtEV,
GOVERNOR, &C
TU vlum thete pretentt thall tome Greet'
ins:
nf HKUF.AS it hat been officially reported to this
llapai Intent, that en the 13th day nf No vein
W, tSJD, niie Xathi Lassotk, of Uavnlton euun
r, in tint Slate, wat to batno, bruite-l and maimed
Hut he Hioili and ahereat mteJOlIM (;()S1 ttanilt
tbt gl wiibtlie commitaionnf .ahl dreilianil.wlieia
t J.re IVhurt'tn, Jtbntr IFurd, Mtxanief Jlith
l, Jatfiua aJfP Nope It. Ski-en wrrn prreni
ilm an I j Miif ami mainlaiHinr I lie laid Jobir
tint, m ihi sprpetiationnf laid lelouy and whereat
laid oftenilt. hve Aiidand aeerelnl ibrmtelvetlrom
the regulr jieralioiii of the Law and Jim ite i
Now f'relore, to the end that the laid John Gntt
and bitXvivOoiplieci in the muider, may be brU;hl
lo trial, have thought pi-oprr to ittue lliit my Pi -lamilion,
olfsring a tva aril ul t wo Huuilred UnlUil
tor the atrebentloiir of the aaid John timi, and a
In I her reward ol One Hnnllrrll Ihilturt earh, inr ulir
or efehc ul bit acanmnliatfa- to mi oeraini or twrMn.1
who wdl apprehend or aauae lo beapprehetiiledin)
iWtf5;iteffJl Wtid,.. and ;
onfriHiitlHsaf 5 tJlt(l'er t- theni,t-l ft&WMfifc Mi'
..liter. lHattr-iibrf lwm, to Ihe hherilf ot Pa
.,vli!!fW.aty,;.Jb''.'rt
moreoeer. hereby n quire all nflieera, wtort.irr eitil
or military, wnliin tint State, lo hw their bai ctr.
liont to apireh-nd, oreawte In be apprvheudedj llie
tiigititrt M-ttit oA'railrrt aloretahl. "
t'M-1,k l.ivrn omVr ai hand at fjovernnr and
I the Greet Sral of Ihe S''c ol Ninth
J I" S. 7 Carolina. I tune at our Oi'y d Nalrh,
J., ihitthe4nth dt'nf (M4H-r, A l IViU,
r.uv Xit u. ululev.
. My. C"".--. , ...
V. C HaTTIS, i'rhutt fremtvr
heicriftfan Jth$ OJfemiri name.l In the ubme 're
" t-iiMHti'aii.
- Mw Otff U sbonr fl yT olo,-J Wt, 9 or to
kclwt higli, dark eotnpUiwo, rt.krm l hair, mil
S.t me tpi-ckt ot guopowib r in hit" lore - ituot
Siaile and qnh k of Ipeech.
Let II hurUM it .b-ml SM jr irl Ji art old, S Irel S
'V hichet high, bir hair and enniplriitMi, lot loie
tre;bbr&.:l and aula apart, large eyebrow t, a down
look, voice fine, tlow tpokrn and it limit made.
.r Want it about 5S jnwi oi l, and b-et 6
loahri WiKb, uwi thnnldert, fair completion, bloe
tS toil ir. yrtJ. .l,:,
JjiiAiio fef ia about tiS years uld, 4 fert I or 8
btebei high, tair tltoi, blue evea, tuora uudr, thin
viaag', quirk mioken, b. Ir dai k tsolorcd.
dlerattiltr C HUhop ra .bowl 8S years old, fair
aad pale compl eirrt, taHtjr oulored babr, qukk ipo.
ken. S leet 6 or T nichet high and dark eye.
Hope II Stern i about $S yiari al,l. $ fed rr
, t hwheahigh, lair complnioo and full tare, del
hair nod chui.bt tnailr, nod ipcaka iav the wrdiuarf
wav whrti tra ktn to.
(Jet. l U If
a t he Sttrulardtaliaaairy Wati-.bmait, lirveaf
homtigh P.iimh. Iiitcllifccneer, Islington, Ky., and
llaanw, Na-hville, 1 tut .) will inacrt the above
weekly a.ti coMirn.tMWal.
losinff Itoanoke Inlet, ana eterv
ueing fiividcti among mo several mieis, nnuineuiscnarge inrougn north' fit. . f ?
the marshes constanily increasing, the refluent tide became weak- ln t,i9 opinion every Engineer preceding me In these tnvestiga
er and weaker, unlil its efforts, thus enfeebled, rendered it inca- t jons, concurs. Not tfio slightest doubt or qualification is express
pable or rettirniug lo the sea Ihe sands brought in by the waves. C1 by any of them or, as fur at I am able to leara, by any pro
Met ling with mo.e and more resistance every day, (the hart of fessional man or hy any one who has made a personal examina
ble inlets gradually accumulating,; its action, conjoined with the tion and proper enquiry. " ----- r - -uneeaning
efiWls of the wind and waves which sweep orer the Having arrived at the eaiise of the closing of Roanoke Inlet, In
broad expanse tif the exposed waters of Albemarle and Pamlico n manner entirely satisfactory to myself, and, I hope,1 to every un
Sounds. has been spent on the soft jielding ba ks of the marshes, nreiudiced mind. I inisht nrocccd at once wi h a nlan for re-onen-
Thus have these united forces gradually opened, and given vent jng it; but the subject is one of much importance, and my object
! lo all. the waters of Albemarle Sound; and Ihe necesssry consc- i, not only to satisfy my own mind, but to endeavour to meet the
quence has been the filling up or swerving of all the inlets north many objections which have been raised, and to convince others,
of the marshes. That this has been Ihe process there can be no. Because Gun and Hal (eras, (former outlets of Pamlico Sound,)
doubU:; It is .apparent Jfi wm jhe Jesiimopy of many persons of ha e closed, and Nw4nJet an4Dcracocke,have notlmproyed, (as
great respectability, : Veraeity' and ihfenigenee, from lite nature R U said,)ty the neefsMon of Ihe waters f Albemarle Sound, It
and consistency of such of the marshes as are left, which are of is doubted by some, for whose opinions 1 entertain the highest re
a solt alluvial character with steep borders and irregular inter- gpect, whether the opening of the channel at the marshes has had
mediate soundings, (in some plat es 50 feet deep,) and freni Ihe the effect ascribed to it, viz., that of closing Currituck and Koan
numerous channels around the tufls of the remaining scattered Is- oke Inlets. , '
lands. These indications shew a violent action of the'waters, in Now, we cannot fix the precise period of the closing f Gun and
paHsiiig to and fro through the marshes, striking irresistable and Hal (eras inlets. Hie memory of man reaches not back to the
conclusive, at first sij;ht. that they have been cut through recent- period when they were open; but, as-we cannot say .when they
ly, and are now wearing away. And all along above the marshes were closed, we will admit they were open when the waters of
we have evidence of the continuing encroachment of the waters of Albemarle broke through Ihe marsher. These waters, meeting
the sound Stumps are found as high up as Mann's point, both with no resistance, would of course flow on south, until checked
on the shores of Roan ko island and the mainland, stretching out by the combined action of the waters of the Neuso and Pamlico
from a hundred yards to a mile into th sound, and, in some pla- Hi vers. A glance at the map would designate thit point, and fix
ces, reaching nearly acrocs it: and the recent abrasion of the it opposite Ocracocke, precisely where they do meet. The con
baAks is shewn by ihe bare roots of hundreds of trees, some re- sequence of thus arresting the waters of the Neuse and Pamlico
eently lallen, others in a loitering condition. was, to turn a ToHionof lh
In'assigning the causes of the washing away of the marshes, the effect greatly to improve Beaufort Inlet; but by far the great
und of . the encroachments upon the banks of t'roatan Sound, est bulk of the waters have passed through tleracocke, it being in
we jnust not oyerlok the effect of the tepden wa
AlhnirtctA ftaite
Ing favored by a descent Jn . that directii)n, hichJi. apparent, r and
fiTtW'fh'frintio:':Hil'l?.'atw
- . ... . . i. w ------ M .
creeks that empty in o l'anilico sound, being always found on the
I north side. And Air l'rice, wno was remarkable ror Iiis accu
j racy, ascerlainetl, by a survey made by bi n in 1818, that the wa
ter at the moulh of Smilhwick t urcek which emptit's mto the
Roanoke a little lielow Williamston, was (t feet 5 inches higher
than ihe'watcr of Pamlico at Washington: and by a line of lev
els i have caused to be rttn, from ;-the mulb of Kendi tck's Creek f occasioned by the back waters of tbu south eas-
mintl, 30 miles below Williamston, to Woodstock, I crly winds opposed by the flow from Albemarle So nd, have
maintained itt depth, as is evident rmm the channel being on (he
south side. It has not Improved, for tho obvious reason that the
bulkhead and slm
of the marshes, oppose more resistance to the passage orthe wa
ler than itt tendency to run in that direction, even with a great
er descent, it capable of overcoming. ' For the natural tendency
of water is, to make itt way in whatever direction it finds the
greatest declivity; and if this happens to be in the shortest direc
tion, ft bat no natural tendency to gain a longer course, as that
rlrould lessen the declivity. If, therefore, water is round pursu
ing a direction which is not Ibe shortest, we may conclude, (and,
on examination, we will always fiod, that the longer course is
owing to the intervention of tome bstacle, to placed that Ihe wa
ters eannot have, at that particular point, a more speedy descent
in a direction different from that which would form the shortest
line of the whole descent; and, fr m causes of this kind, a stream
may have a course meandering in every possible direction, as we
frequently observe in nature."
The shoalnest of the water opposite the moulh of New Inlet, is
the obstacle preventing any great increase of outflow through it,
and aeeountt satisfactorily for its not being improved by the open
lag of Iho marshes And the application of the above principle-,
confirms my statement f a descent from Albemarle to Pamlico
Sound. '- - - . .- - -
We come now to another doubt which lias been raised, at to the
effect the diversion i f ihe waters from Roanoke Inlet, through tho
in Albemarle Si
8 miles above Ihe month r l "g River, which empties into
Pamlico 30 miles below Washington, the fall is feet
inches, from .which.! Infer a descent from Albcniaile to rartilico
of feet inches, sufficient to create a current in Croatan
Sound; a fatt which a calm, while I was engaged In the survey,
afforded me an opport unity of tcsl ing.
'I his eurrren . however, opnoses but a feeble resistance to the
winds which cuilre'y influence the lidct in Croatan, Albemarle
and Roanoke Sounds, control the currents and drive Ihe water
to and fro hctweejijlJie-Juarbltcs, swelling mem somclimet to a
height of 3 feel aljovrdinai wa'er; " - ". '
The foregoing, witlv such additionol facts as I shall uow ad
dace, inclines me to the opinion that, at no very distant period
back, there was no communication whatever, between Albemarle
and Pamlico Sor ads. 1
In the memory of tho last generation, there was a mere gut
between the marshet through the eastern channel, narrow enough
to be rrossed on a fence rail ; anil ir Prahcis Drake, who, on hit re
turn from the conquest or 8t. Doming , Carthagena, and St. Au
gustine, in I58GrisHl l Colony planted by Sir Richard Gren
ville in 15S5, sayt tho people ho left behind, tettled on Roan-
- we. . car . At k I Wl 111111 . . I FH 1 W 1 II V III . It llttl 1 V ' IIIVM " - -
TCT A f V? Lb 1 II' ' latest need imaginahlf , ft r (hough Hp Richard Grrpville,
IWrV4iOIUlklo RrfjiBtlilfwlir I I i : ,l . ,5, la.
wK-t.. bt WillUntr. Hs (w SAl.it ths 'when he left Capt. Amydas among Ihein, had gtn hiin the i tille
--nU i'u'uhm Book Mme. ' f Admiral, he had wot Irft ihm a trtntl of any fciad. Isow,
itxir-h.JmSi. jto. hd there been a channel of pay conoldewtWe extent between
The closing of these inlet, Iheo, may be fairly ascribed lo the
opening of the channel through the marshet, and the consequent
union of the wafers or Iho Albemarle and I'amlico Sounds. New
Inlet being further up the Sound, and more favorably situated In
relation to the land, hat not been so much affected by the arrest
ing of the currents nf tho Neuse and Pamlico.
the statements heretofore made' relative to (Iieim and uon such.
together with" tny own estimate of the quantity flowing through
Croatan Sound into I amlico, When uninfluenced by winds, I have
no hesitation in saying there will be a tiifficlent quantity for all
purposes, and that too withont taking into the estimate tho quan
tity thrown In by the influx tldei. -
Another ground upon which the failure of the improvement hat
been predicted, It, Ibnt it has no-cape to the windward to shelter
it against the North East winds, and that a good harbour eannot
exist on a straight coast. " A -
There are many striking instances abroad against (hit tbeoryi
but I prefer drawing conclusions from a similarity of circumstan
ces In our own country. A glance at the map will show, without'
discussing the matter, that It will not admit of general applies-
At ihe mouth of Cnpe Fear River, New Inlet, which, next to
Beaufort, it the bnt inlet on the coast of North Carolina, broke
out some sixty years ago to the winiirard of the cape, and Old In
let, under its he, is becoming more and more shoal every year.
Further South, we find Cbat leMon, Savannah, Brunswick a;id
Pensaeola all good inlets, with good harbours, on a itraight sandy
coast. . r ' ' ' ' -
In tupport of t' e theory, that Roanoke Inlet wat not fi!!ed up
by the opening of the chanuel through the marshet and the with
drawal thither of the water of the Albemarle from the inlet,
its filling up has been asciibed to the linking of a vessel In Iho .
channel of the inlet, to the blowing in of Ihe sand, and, to the
cm rents from the land not being as strong at those from the tea.
Fortunately my own observations, strengthened by the testl
mony of respectable persons, enable me also to refute these spec- .
ulationt. The hull of a vessel wrecked, 16 years ago, within half"
a mile of the site of the bid inlet, ttili shews itself above the sand,
although it it nearly submerged by every flood tide. And admit
ting a vessel was sunk, of w hich there is much doubt, tt J hard- .
ly probable it would form a nucleus snfficrent- to cause the erosing -of
the Inlet, - Such has not been the effect in the ease of the steam .
er William Gibbon, sunk about ti years ago in New Inlet, where
ihe gallons frame is now to be seen above iho water at high tide,
and the Inlet still as good as it hat been within the memory of
man. ...
At to the blowing in cf the lands, there it no ocsnmulatioa o
sand near the site of the old inlet. The beach at Nag's Head I
Jatfuetlie distancfjofa rjnllianda half, on each side of the former
rotirse of Ihe inlet; indeed, o small is (be rise, that at Inedislanco -of
five miles, tbo lines of separation between the ocean and tho
sound are imperceptible; and a person unacquainted with the fact
of the inlet being closed, would not tuspect that any land Inter
vened, anil If so happens that this part of the beaeh Is composed
principally of gravel . ! eannot, there 'ore, believe that the filling
tip of (he inlet hat been in any way facilitated by a wreck in the
channel or by the blowing in of land : The greater quantify of
gravel which enters Into Ihe formation or the sea beach here than
is found elsewhere, attest! the power with which the " land cur
rents have ret isled the
;J;TF been saiDcienti jr. strong to have forced this
grawl back into the tea, had nor-the waters of Albemarle broko
through the marshes, 1 cannot entertain a doubt. From my own or.
servatitin of their force, (governed exclusirely by tho winds) and the
violence with which they are driven on and nlonjr the inner edeo cf
the beach, across which, in strong west? rlf winds, they have been
known somelimes.to break into, the ocean, satisfies me thejr were ful-
ly as ttronz as the cnrrentirom the Sea, before tho union of the wa
ters "of Albemarle with those of Pamlico.
A conviction of these imaginary difficulties in the way 6f opeuinj
Ronnoke lulet, has given origin to a project of an artificial harbour,
hated upon, the theory of there beinar a necessity of a conformity and
fixed proportion between the capacity of a harbour and its infer; and
under such circumstances, that tho influx mid reflux of the tides nra
adequate to free the harbour and preserve it from alteration. But it
is a woll established theory that tidal 'currerSfs da not coritiiJ-uti