12 WRITINGS OF JOSEPH HENRY. [1824- 



tion of the surface, is the valley of the Genesee river, which 

 may be considered as an arm of the Ontario valley, extend- 

 ing into the state of Pennsylvania. The extreme southern 

 branches of this river rise at an elevation of more than 2500 

 feet. 



The space between Seneca lake and the Hudson, and south 

 of the Mohawk, is occupied by the mountain chain formed 

 by the union of the three parallel ridges before mentioned, 

 as mingling in Pennsylvania, and passing through New- 

 York. The surface is much more uneven than that of the 

 part just described, and presents the general appearance of 

 a number of ridges in a north and south direction. The 

 highest of these is the Catskill mountains, which bound the 

 valley of the Hudson on the west, and rise in some places 

 nearly 4000 feet higher than the level of the ocean. The 

 Pound Top is 3804, and the High Peak is 3718 feet, above 

 the level of the tide waters of the Hudson.* The principal 

 indentations of the surface of this subdivision of the moun- 

 tain part of the state, are the vallies of the Susquehanna, the 

 Delaware, and their several branches. By a reference to the 

 map, it will be seen that the Chemung river, the main 

 branch of the Susquehanna, and the Delaware river, when 

 viewed in connexion with each other, present an almost en- 

 tire water course, extending along the Pennsylvania line, 

 from Painted Post, in Steuben county, to the northwest angle 

 of the state of New-Jersey, the only interruption being the 

 space between the Delaware and the Susquehanna. The 

 vallies in which these rivers are situated, cross the moun- 

 tains in an east and west direction; but their several tribu- 

 taries, viz., the two branches of the Susquehanna, the Una- 

 dilla and the Chenango rivers, the Owego and the Cayuta 

 creeks, besides several smaller streams, descend to the south, 

 and intersect the principal vallies in a remarkable manner, 

 nearly at right angles to their general course. These streams 

 all rise on a narrow table land, which is situated a little 

 south of the line of the Erie canal, and may be traced on the 

 map as forming the water shed, between the heads of streams 



*As measured by Capt. Patridge. 



