Eruption of Long Lake and Mud Ldke^ in Vermont. J 55 



scent, marched onwards in its work of desolation. Not satisfied 

 with tearing up the trees, it removed the earth beneath them to 

 a considerable depth, and bore away masses of earth from the 

 sides of the high grounds, by which the original valley of the 

 river was bounded. These it left precipitous ; exhibiting on the 

 perpendicular face denuded rocks and roots of trees, and in eve- 

 ry place pointing out the exact breadth of the torrent's march. 

 The trees on the brink, which were not destroyed, showed strong 

 proofs of the violence ; proofs which were often discoverable at 

 the end of thirteen years. Wherever the original valley narrow- 

 ed, or suddenly changed its course, and its boundaries were too 

 firm to be pushed away, the torrent, receiving a momentary 

 check, became narrower and higher, and left deposits of sand 

 and of trees in the valley, and frequently on the high grounds. 

 The forests were thus levelled, and the excavation continued 

 some distance below the mill of Mr Blodget, 14 miles from 

 the lake. There, owing to the widening of the hills, and the 

 more cleared state of the country, it gradually spent its force, 

 though many marks of its violence are witnessed all the way to 

 Lake Memphremagog. Through the more level country, the 

 excavation which it left to indicate its path, varied from 30 to 

 60 rods in width, while its average depth was probably from 10 

 to 15 feet. 



An inhabitant of Barton, who was standing at the time on a 

 high ground, told me, that, hearing the noise, he looked up the 

 stream, and saw the flood marching rapidly forward, opening it- 

 self a path through the valley, and bearing a moving forest on 

 its very top ; so that those who were with him gave the alarm 

 that the forest from Glover was coming down upon Barton. 

 The house of a Mr Gould, in Barton, standing 15 feet above 

 high-water mark, was within the track of the torrent, and him- 

 self and his wife were at home. Alarmed by the noise, he 

 caught his wife in his arms, and carried her up the bank ; yet it 

 was with the utmost difficulty that they escaped. The water 

 rose to the eaves of the house^ and removed it from its founda- 

 tion : but bearing it against some stumps of trees, which were 

 very firmly braced in the earth, it remained there when the 

 flood had subsided. The saw-mill of Mr Blodget, with the mill- 

 dam, was entirely swept away, as was every bridge on Barton ri- 



