152 



and to ascend the mountain from Welch's farm where its upper 

 surface in the sketch appears to be flat and level as seen from Ottawa 

 City- My object in doing so was to ascertain first whether the sand 

 hills c institute a true terrace; and furHier to ascertain whether 

 the summit of tlie mountain was itsell fiat topped, by reason of the 

 levelling influence of water. 



The sand hills are composed of a clean yellow sand, very little 

 intermixed with boulders. They are entirely of detrilal origin of later 

 age than the leda clays; and are simply higher members of the 

 saxicava sands. The bench level above Welch's farm was found to be 

 680 feet above the sea. and on a general level with the sand hills nearest 

 to Kingsmere. 



That the Welch terrace is of marine origin, and a shore line of the 

 pleistocene flood period, will be made clear to you by a little reflection. 

 No marine fossils can be produced by me at this time, in support of the 

 proposition, yet I can make it without reserve ; because the mountain 

 faces openly the wide expanse of plains which were at that compara- 

 tivelv recent date the enlarged gulf or inland sea of the St. Lawrence. 



If further evidence be required I will refer you to Sir Wm, 

 Logan's Geology of Canada, 18G3, citing the elevations of marine clays 

 along the shores of this inland sea, at Ha Ha Bay GOO feet above the 

 sea, at Grenville 500 feet, and of similar clays skirting the hills all 

 along its northern shore between Ha Ha Bay and the valley of the 

 Ottawa. He cites saxicava sands at the falls of Bell River at 400 

 feet, at Beauport 350 feet, and on Montreal mountain 470 feet above the 

 sea. 



As the formation of clays on the one hand, and sands on the other, 

 is dependant, however, upon local conditions, and is not a feature of 

 succession in time, it is well to remember that the leda an.l saxicava 

 shells can only be made use of as names for local, and limited portions 

 of the section we are constructing. Clays, sands and gravels may 

 alternate, and occur again and again throughout the series, according 

 to drainage and lowest water level of the locality and time. 



Next ascending from Welch's terrace to the summit of the flat 

 topped mountain (seen NE of us from tlie summit of King's 

 mountain) I found the elevation to be 910 feet above the sea; 



