This gives roughly a broad east and a narrower west slope, as far south as the Cotswold Hills.

6. As we have seen, two ranges of chalk downs extend from Salisbury Plain across the southern counties. These divide the country so as to form a southern, but short slope. From Salisbury Plain and the Mendip Hills, the two water-partings unite and run south-west, so that in the Devon and Cornwall peninsula the rivers flow north-west and south-east, and some of them almost north and south.

7. We have thus in England three great slopes, East, West, and South. The rivers of Wales, following the course of the numerous valleys, run in all directions, but chiefly east and west. The streams flowing east meet the streams flowing from the west watershed of England; and, uniting in the valley between, form the Severn, which then flows south and south-west between the two watersheds of England and Wales, and pours its waters into the Bristol Channel.

8. The rivers of the eastern water-slope all empty themselves into the North Sea, those of the southern water-slope into the English Channel, and those of the western water-slope, some into the Atlantic Ocean, some into the Bristol Channel, and others into the Irish Sea.

9. The Welsh rivers run east into the Severn, south into the Bristol Channel, west into the St. George's Channel, and north into the Irish Sea.

10. Besides the great slopes, there are of course many minor ones, which send their waters in different directions, usually to unite with the streams of the main slopes.

C

RIVERS. THE EASTERN WATER-SLOPE.

1. We may arrange the rivers which run into the North Sea into four groups-those which receive their waters from the Pennine chain; those which drain the great Central Plain, and flow through the Fens into The Wash; the rivers of the Eastern Plain; and the river Thames, with its tributaries.

2. The most important of the rivers of the first group are the Tyne, Wear, Tees, and Yorkshire Ouse. These all take their waters from the moorlands of the Pennines, and drain the whole of the three eastern counties of the north. Whilst confined to the narrow dales of the west, the rivers are rapid and shallow, but in the plains they widen out, and become slower and deeper as they approach the sea.

3. Many seaport towns are built on the estuaries of the Tyne, Wear, and Tees, and an immense business is carried on in exporting coal and iron. The Yorkshire Ouse is formed by a large number of streams, which rise in the Pennines and unite in the York Plain. The principal of these are the Swale, Ure, Nidd, Wharfe, Aire, and Don. The Derwent is a tributary from the North York Moors.

4. About forty miles from the sea the Ouse is joined by the Trent, and together these rivers pour

their waters into the sea through the wide estuary of the Humber. The Trent receives its waters partly from the Peak district, and partly from the Central Plain. Its tributary streams from the Peak are the Dove and Derwent, and from the Central Plain the Tame and Soar.

5. The rivers which drain the Central Plain, and flow through the Fens into The Wash, are the Witham, Welland, New, and Great Ouse. The Ouse receives some streams from the western slopes of the East Anglian Heights. These rivers are very slow in the latter part of their courses, and emptying themselves into the shallow bay of The Wash, are not of much use for traffic.

6. The rivers of the Eastern Plain, rising in the Chiltern Hills and East Anglian Heights, are short and unimportant. The Yare, Orwell, Stour, and Chelmer are the chief. Most of these rivers have small ports near their mouths.

7. The Thames, the chief of English rivers, receives its waters from three slopes-from the Cots

wold Hills on the east, the Central Plain and the Chiltern Hills on the north, and the Downs on the south. From the Cotswold Hills come the Evenlode, Windrush, Leach, Coln, and Churn; from the Central Plain the Cherwell and Thame; from the Chiltern Hills and East Anglian Heights the Colne, Lee, and Roding; whilst the Downs send the Kennet, Wey, and Mole. The Thames, from its source in the Cotswolds in its journey to the sea, runs a course of 210 miles, and drains more than 6,000 square miles of land.

8. The slope of the Valley of the Thames is very gentle-not much more than 200 feet in the 200 miles from the junction of the Leach, Coln, and Churn to the sea; hence the stream is slow, and suitable for boat traffic almost from its source. The scenery of the Thames Vale is quiet and pleasant, and the meadows and fields are fertile, and well cultivated.

9. The Medway rises in the Weald, and flowing north-east through a valley in the North Downs, joins the estuary of the Thames.

RIVERS. THE SOUTH AND WEST WATER-SLOPES.

1. The rivers of the southern water-slope are all short, and none of them are of first importance. Beginning on the east, the Ouse and the Arun flow from the Wealden Plain, and find their way through hollows in the South Downs into the English Channel. The Itchin flows into the Southampton Water. The Avon, flowing through the New Forest from the downs of the Salisbury Plain, and the Stour and Frome from the Dorset heights, find their way into the English Channel west of the Isle of Wight.

2. Another group of rivers flow south from the heights of the Devon and Cornwall peninsula. The Exe rises in Exmoor. Dartmoor, the "mother of