THE MUSEUM. 



I43-- 



einptying into Lake Memphremagog. 

 Then, it flowed south, a mighty stream, 

 more than a mile wide, and more than 

 three hundred feet deep. So far as is 

 known, it was the largest, though not 

 the longest river in that old world. It 

 occupied the same valley that Black 

 river now occupies, and, extending 

 south to the old lake at Harkwick, con- 

 nected the two lakes and formed the 

 outlet of Lake Memphremagog. Emer- 

 ging, in two large streams, from the 

 southern extremity of the Hardwick 

 lake, it continued its southerly course, 

 until it became lost in the larger lake 

 in the central part of Washington 

 county. One of these connecting 

 streams bore a little to the east, and 

 followed the valley now occupied by 

 Kingsbury branch, through the towns 

 of Woodbury and Calais. The other, 

 bearing a little to the west, passed 

 through the towns of Elmore and a 

 part of Worcester, following the course 

 of what is now known as the Eagle 

 Ledge valley in which a small stream 

 now flows. 



Emerging from this lake, the stream 

 continued its southerly course, through 

 the towns of Williamsport, Brookfield, 

 and Randolph, when it entered the 

 valley now occupied by the White riv- 

 er, in which it continued until it joined 

 the Connecticut river. 



During the period of submergence, 

 it seems that the force was exerted so 

 evenly upon all parts of the continent, 

 that it sank without a fracture. The 

 same may be said to be true during the 

 period of emergence until the continent 

 had reached a height nearly equal to 

 its present elevation. Then, for some 

 cause, the force slightly decreased in 

 the northern parts of the state. The 



cohesion of the rocks which formed the 

 mountains was not sufficient to with- 

 stand the unequal pressure. They 

 broke in four separate places, and deep, 

 transverse chasms were formed, which 

 extended to the level of the surround- 

 ing country. 



Beginning at the south, the first 

 fracture, (first in geographical order, 

 for they were simultaneous in point of 

 time,) formed the valley in which the 

 Winooski river now flows, and chain- 

 ed the most southerly lake. The sec- 

 ond, formed the valley of the Samoille 

 river, and chained the Hardwick lake. 

 The third forme J the Missisco valley, 

 but had no effect upon the lake. The 

 fourth fracture broke down the barrier 

 across the St. Francis river, and chain- 

 ed Lake Memphremagog nearly to its 

 present level. Four times since, have 

 the mountains broken, slightly deepen- 

 ing the chasms, and the river beds, and 

 each time forming a terrace which 

 plainly tells the story. 



In the central part of Washington 

 county, may also be seen indications of a 

 much smaller lake which existed at a lat- 

 er period, and at a much lower level. 

 Indications of this lake are much more 

 plain than those of the ancient lake, 

 ■ and without some mention might con- 

 fuse or mislead the observer. This 

 lake, however was entirely distinct, 

 and was caused by an ice-gorge form- 

 ing in one of the chasms in the moun- 

 tains through which the Winooski river 

 finds its way. Doubtless it continued 

 in existence for many centuries and 

 was finally drained by the melting of 

 the icy barrier which formed it. In a 

 future paper this lake will be more 

 fully described. 



C. O. Ormsbee, 



Montpelier, Vt,. 



