Home Geography for Primary Grades Part 6

Now think where the rain that falls on mountains must go. Some of the water runs off on the surface, down the mountain slope. Some sinks into the ground, and runs along in little streams below the surface. It will appear again, bubbling out of the mountain side as a _spring_. The spring is the beginning of a river.

Did you ever see a spring? Where was it? Was it shaded by trees? Where did the water come from? Did you drink from it? Was the water pure and cold? Where did the water go after leaving the spring?

[Ill.u.s.tration: "DID YOU EVER SEE A SPRING?"]

From the spring flows a tiny, thread-like stream, so small that we can easily step across it. This little stream is called a _rill_.

Other rills meet this, and form a larger stream, which is called a _brook_ or _creek_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RIVER FROM ITS SOURCE TO ITS MOUTH.]

As the brook flows on, it is joined by other streams, until, little by little, it becomes a wide and deep _river_ on which large boats may float. At last, it finds its way into the ocean.

Where a river begins is its _source_. The place where it flows into another body of water is called its _mouth_. The land over which it flows is its _bed_.

A river has two banks. As we go toward its mouth, the right bank is on our right hand, and the left bank is on our left.

Do you live near a river? Where does the water come from? In what direction does it flow? Why does it flow in such direction? Does it wind about much? Does it flow into the ocean, or into another river?

Is the water fresh or salt? What grow on its banks? Near which bank do you live?

Make a picture of a spring, and a brook flowing from it. Draw the tall gra.s.s and plants that grow near it.

Write the names of all the rivers you have seen.

_Write the following:_

Water flowing out of the ground is called a spring.

From springs flow small streams called rills, brooks, or creeks.

A large stream of water flowing through the land is called a river.

A small stream of water flowing into a larger one is called a tributary.

The source of a river is where it begins. The place where it empties into another body of water is its mouth.

Every river has two banks--a right-hand bank and a left-hand bank.

LESSON XIX.

MORE ABOUT RIVERS.

Let us have another chat about the river. We may fancy that we are following it in its course to the sea. We shall then learn for ourselves many things we do not know about rivers.

We will begin our journey at its source. Here it is a little rill, formed by water that trickles from a spring, or by the melting of snow.

As it flows on, it is joined by many other little streams, until it grows to be much larger.

There is a large word used for a stream that feeds another stream. Do you know what it is? The word, is _tributary_. Tributaries are often called _branches_.

Before we leave this part of the river, I wish you to learn another hard word.

You have seen the water run off the roof of a _shed_. The ridge; or highest part of the roof, divides the rain that falls on it, so that part of the rain flows down the one side, and part of it flows down the other side.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "HILLS SEND OFF STREAMS ON BOTH SIDES."]

Now, hills, like the roof of a house, send off streams on both sides.

When it rains, or the snow melts, some of the water goes down on one side, some on the other. And that is why the hills which divide or part the waters of streams are called a _water-parting_ or _water-shed_.

Let us now go further down the stream.

Here we see it rushing rapidly down a steep slope. Its waters foam and dash between the great rocks that lie in the stream. Such places in the river are called _rapids_. Can you tell why they are so called?

[Ill.u.s.tration: "SUCH PLACES ARE CALLED RAPIDS."]

The stream flows on. It has now reached a high ledge of rock. Over this it leaps, making a great foam and noise.

When the water of a river falls over high rocks, it is called a waterfall or _cataract_.

You may have seen the Falls of Niagara, the greatest waterfall in the world.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE FALLS OF NIAGARA."]

The course of our river is now through a lower country. The valley in which it flows spreads out, and the stream grows wider and wider. The water moves slower and slower.

Why is the river swift in some places, and in others slow?

At length it flows through an almost level country. It is here widest and deepest. Its course is more winding.

Do you know why it is crooked and winding?

Because on the steep hillside the water runs very rapidly, and is not easily turned aside. Where the ground is nearly level, it runs slowly, and is easily turned from its course.

LESSON XX.

THE BROOK.

From a fountain In a mountain, Drops of water ran Trickling through the gra.s.ses; So our brook began.

Slow it started; Soon it darted, Cool and clear and free, Rippling over pebbles, Hurrying to the sea.