MERRILL] GLACIAL POTHOLE lOT 



rounded detritus is left as the crevasse is closed or moves up the 

 valley," — Geikie, p. 400. 



The pothole here exhibited is assumed to have been formed by a 

 glacial ice stream in the manner described, during the melting of 

 the ice sheet of the Glacial epoch. Similar holes are formed by 

 running streams, but in this case there is novv^ no stream in the near 

 vicinity, nor traces of others than those temporarily formed by 

 the melting ice. This hole was one of several situated on the rocky 

 shore of a cove a few feet above tidewater action. The largest one 

 is described as some 14 feet in depth. It is stated that a smaller hole 

 is always to be found at a distance of a few feet to the southward 

 of each of the large ones. 



The inequalities of the interior of the hole are due to the unequal 

 hardness of the material, and perhaps in part to the direction of the 

 current of water. The rock is gneiss, and it will be observed that the 

 hole is cut parallel with the foliation, the gneiss at this point standing 

 nearly vertical. 



Holes of this kind are variously called potholes, moulins, giants' 

 kettles, and caldrons, and sometimes Indian ovens, or kettles, from 

 the popular belief that they were excavated by the Indians and used 

 in grinding corn or cooking food. 



The :following description regarding the work of extraction is 

 taken from Dr. Farrington's notes: 



" This pot-hole was one of a score or more found in the vicinity 

 of Riggsville Landing, Georgetown, Maine. They are variously 

 situated, in different degrees of preservation, and vary in depth from 

 a few inches to fourteen feet. Nearly all were visited with a view 

 to ascertaining which were best adapted for removal, but only one 

 was found which seemed to be at all favorably situated for the pur- 

 pose. This had a depth of 40 inches, a diameter of 20 inches, and 

 was situated on the edge of a sea-wall which furnished one face of 

 the block which it would be necessary to cut out, and giving room for 

 horizontal drilling without the excavation of a large amount of 

 rock from the front. The bed-rock here also appeared on careful 

 examination to be nearly free from seams or joints, and though 

 a gneiss of contorted structure, quite tough and homogeneous. 



" To ' dig up a well,' however, is proverbially an impossible task, 

 and even with so many favoring circumstances the work presented 

 difficulties which made success seem very doubtful. 



'' So evident were these, especially when the small amount of 

 money available for the work was taken into consideration, that it 

 was some time before a contractor could be found willing to under- 

 take it. 



