through Lithuania, Little Russia, the country of the Zaporo Cossacks, and a tract inhabited by the Nagaian Tartars. After forming a lake thirty-four miles in length, and in many places from two to six in breadth, it discharges itself into the Black Sea. Within the space of thirty-five miles, the Nieper, the banks of which are elevated, has not less than thirteen falls. At Kiow a floating bridge, one thousand six hundred and thirty-eight paces (upwards of a mile and a half) in length, has been thrown over it. This bridge is removed towards the end of September, to admit a passage down the river to the immense masses of floating ice; and is again put together in the spring. On this river a great number of mills have been erected in boats.

THE NEVA.

THIS river likewise belongs to the vast empire of Russia, and issues from the lake Lagoda, flowing with a rapid course until it discharges itself into the gulf of Finland. A great part of the city of St. Petersburgh is built on islands formed by its branches, and by those of the rivers Fontanca and Moica. It has but one bridge, which is constructed with large flat-bottomed boats, which are laid across the river in the spring, and removed in the autumn, at the setting in of the frost. In this way a safe and convenient passage is formed between the Arsenal and Basili Ostrow, or Bazil's island. The communication between the other islands is by boats and barks; but bridges are built over the Moica and Fontanca, and likewise over the canals, which are as numerous as at Amsterdam. St. Petersburgh is much exposed to inundations: in September 1777, one rose to a very great height, and did prodigious damage.

THE DWINA.

THIS is a very considerable river, the name of which implies double, it being formed by the confluence of the Sukona and the Yug. It divides itself into two branches, or channels, near Archangel, whence it runs into the White Sea.

THE DANUBE.

THE next considerable river of Europe, in which quarter it rises and terminates, is the Danube, the ancient Ister. It has its source in Suabia, within a few miles of the borders of Switzerland, in latitude forty-eight degrees north, and nine degrees of east longitude, whence the Rhine also issues, but takes a north-west course, while that of the Danube is eastward. It intersects Bavaria, Austria, and Hungary, inclining to the south at Vaez, a town in the latter kingdom. It divides the bannat of Tamesvar from Servia, and Wallachia from Bulgaria, discharging itself, after a course of nearly fourteen hundred miles, by several channels, into the Euxine or Black Sea, with such violence, that its waters are distinguishable for several miles from those of the sea into which they are precipitated. It is said to receive sixty navigable rivers in its progress, and an equal number of smaller streams. From Buda, in the centre of Hungary, to Belgrade, on the northern confine of Servia, its depth and breadth are so considerable, that in the wars between the Christians and Turks, these powers had fleets on it, and several naval engagements took place. Farther down it is rendered unnavigable by its many cataracts, so that all commerce with the Black Sea, by means of this great river, is rendered impracticable.

THE RHINE.

Of all the countries of Europe, Switzerland is the one in which the greatest number of rivers take their rise. Of these the principal is the Rhine, which has its sources in the Grison territory; and by these the distinctions of Upper Rhine, Middle Rhine, and Lower Rhine, are determined. The Upper Rhine issues from a small lake on a mountain called the Oberalp. The Middle Rhine has its source in Luckmanier, one of the Adula chain of mountains, and joins the Upper Rhine, after a course of about eighteen miles. The Lower Rhine, rises at a distance of about nine miles, in a mountain, called by the Italians Monte del Uccelo, or Bird's Hill.

At a small distance from the lake of Constance, through which the Rhine flows, a bridge has been thrown over

it at Scaffhausen, which is much admired on account of the beauty and singularity of its architecture. The rapidity of the river having carried away several stone bridges, this one, constructed of wood, and of a single arch, has been so well contrived, as to be perfectly secure. Near this bridge is a fine water-fall.

Having flowed westward to Basle, it proceeds in a direction due north, along the eastern borders of Alsace, till it receives the Maine, a little below Frankfort, and proceeding thence north-westward, enters the Netherlands. Its course exceeds seven hundred miles; and on its banks the cities of Mentz, Coblentz, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Wesel, and Cleves, are situated. It intersects the circles of the Upper and Lower Rhine. In its course through Alsace it frequently causes dreadful devastations, not only in winter, but in the summer, when the snow melts on the Alps. Its inundations, in devastating the fields, cover them with sand; and the violence of its torrents, which are very frequent, occasionally change the situation of the islands placed within its bed.

One of the singularities of the Rhine is, that particles of gold are found in the sand which the torrents, in their fall, wash from the Alps, and bring into it. Hence it is only below Basle that the sand contains this precious metal, which, in autumn and winter, when the river is at the lowest, is drawn out with the sand, and extracted by repeated washings. Its particles are seldom so large as a grain of millet seed; but the gold is very fine and beautiful. It is so scarce, however, that the city of Strasburg, which has the privilege of collecting it for the extent of nearly four miles, scarcely collects five ounces in a year. This river also contains many crystals and particularly pebbles, which take a beautiful polish: these are well known under the name of Rhine pebbles.

At Utrecht the Rhine divides into two branches, called the Old and New Rhine, both of which cross the city throughout its length. One of these branches loses itself in the sands below Leyden, and the other, assuming the name of the Lech, falls into the Maine. Thus does this grand and important river, after so long and useful a course, terminate obscurely, without pouring its aggregated waters into the common receptacle, the ocean!

THE RHONE.

THIS fine river rises in the glacier of Furca, near the canton of Uri, in Switzerland, but in the north-east border of the Valais. It first precipitates itself with great noise from amid several rocks, and, in flowing into the vale beneath, has the appearance of a single cataract, with several cascades. It is afterwards joined by the Meyanwang stream, issuing from the Grimsel mountain, and then directs its course from east to west, until, after taking a winding course to the north, it discharges itself with great impetuosity into the lake of Geneva. All the streams and small rivers of the valais, issuing from the mountains, flow into it.

The waters of the Rhone rush into the lake with such rapidity, that for the distance of half a league they continue unmixed with those of the latter; but there is not afterwards any visible distinction, as has been affirmed. At its efflux from the lake it forms an island, on which, and on the banks on either side, the city of Geneva is built, being divided into three unequal parts, having a communication by four bridges. Onward it forms the boundary between France and Savoy. It then takes a western direction, and, dividing the province of Burgundy from that of Dauphine, flows to Lyons, from which city it proceeds due southward, forming the eastern boundary of Languedoc, which it divides from Provence at Avignon. It discharges its waters into the Mediterranean by several mouths, a little below Arles.

THE VISTULA.

THIS river is likewise called the Weisel, and in Polish the Wisla. It rises in the Carpathian mountains, on the confines of Silesia and Upper Hungary; and, taking a northwest course through Little Poland, a part of Masovia, of Great Poland, and of Prussia, falls by three mouths into the Baltic, below Dantzic. Warsaw, the capital of Poland, and Thorn, which once boasted a very considerable trade, are situated on its banks. Great quantities of grain and timber, the growth of Poland, are sent down this river to Dantzic, and thence exported to foreign countries.

THE ELBE.

Nor far from the source of the above river, and in the principality of Javer, in Silesia, the Elbe rises in the GIANTS' MOUNTAIN. It divides Dresden, the capital of Saxony, into the old and new towns, between which there is a communication by a stone bridge, three thousand five hundred feet, (nearly three-fourths of a mile) in length, and in breadth eighty-five feet, provided with eighteen arches. Meissen, ten miles north-west of Dresden, is likewise situated on this river, over which is a bridge, supported by stone piers, but having a wooden superstructure: this bridge is considered as a master-piece of art, the middle arch, which is three hundred and seventy-five feet in width being kept together by a single wooden peg. The Elbe is the boundary of Brandenburgh toward the east, and there receives the Havel. It is the principle river in Lower Saxony. At Hamburgh it becomes of such a breadth and depth as to receive large ships. It discharges its waters into the German Ocean by the fortress of Glukstadt.

THE LOIRE.

Or the principal rivers which have their sources in FRANCE, the Loire is the most considerable, being still larger than the Rhone. It rises in the Cevennes mountains, in Lower Languedoc, and takes a course north and north-west, passing by the city of Orleans. It thence pursues a south and south-west course, by Tours and Angers, discharging itself into the bay of Biscay, forty miles below Nantz. Its entire course, comprehending its windings, is computed at five hundred miles; and in its progress it receives the Allier, Cher, Indre, Creuse, Sienne, and Maine. It communicates with the Seine by the canals of Briarte and Orleans. In November, 1790, it overflowed its banks, and laid a very large extent of country under water.

THE GARONNE.

THIS river rises at the foot of the Pyrenees, in the district of Cominges, and becomes navigable on the confines of Languedoc, being joined by many rivers in its course. It passes Toulouse and Bordeaux, below which it receives the