1853.] ANGULAR AND ROUNDED PEBBLES. 317 



running over and leaving undisturbed or unmarked the 

 angular fragments of soft limestone, but of vast fluviatile 

 continued agency, rolling to the seaboard masses rounded 

 by attrition, and leaving behind the impression that here 

 a mighty river rolled impetuous into the ocean, and now, 

 having ceased, leaves us to wonder how these stones, even 

 chalcedonies, rounded and polished, occur in the frozen 

 river-beds ! These are especially observable between 

 Mount Parker and Step Mount ; and in the interval of 

 ten miles, where now scarce a rivulet can be found, I can- 

 not but believe that a great river played its part, and left 

 the extensive mud-flats and gravel ridges which now oc- 

 cupy our attention. At present it is to be doubted if 

 the short interval of summer would even furnish a rip- 

 pling brook. But we cannot stop here : rivers and gul- 

 lies are not alone concerned ; by their courses the water 

 doubtless escaped, but by what cause was every moun- 

 tain of these northern ranges reduced to certain parallel 

 strata, as regards the lines of upheaving or subsidence ? 

 for the lines of stratification themselves of the rocks 

 (generally magnesian limestone), although presenting 

 horizontal appearances east and west, are invariably dip- 

 ping slightly, say at 5, to the northward. Nor is it alone 

 that these peculiar terraces strike the observer ; the level 

 surfaces of mountain summits, as well as gentle slopes, 

 are for miles, indeed wherever visited, found to present 

 an even surface of finely Macadamized fragments, to the 

 senses, ploughed, harrowed, bush-harrowed, or finely 

 swept ! and, in some instances, the marks so indelibly 

 impressed as if it had been the act of yesterday ! 



Another question forces itself on the mind : is it not 



