30 WRITINGS OP JOSEPH HENRY. [1824- 



and is through a spacious valley bounded by the Catskill 

 ridge on the one side and the mountains forming the High- 

 lands on the other. The elevation of the summit is 430 feet 

 above the Hudson and 207 above the Delaware. 



The most remarkable and peculiar feature of the Hudson 

 and Champlain valley, is its great and uniform depth below 

 the general level of the surface of the adjoining country. 

 The highest part of the bottom of this valley, throughout its 

 whole extent, is on the intervening space between the Hud- 

 son and Lake Champlain, and is elevated only 147 feet 

 above the level of tide in the river, and 54 feet above the 

 surface of the lake. From this surprising fact, we learn that 

 an obstruction in the channel of the Hudson at the entrance 

 of the Highlands, near Newburgh, of only 150 feet in height, 

 would turn the current of the river to the north, and cause 

 its waters to descend to the gulf of St. Lawrence, through 

 the outlet of Lake Chamj)lain and the St. Lawrence river. 

 The appearance of the mountain pass at the Highlands, is 

 highly favorable to the supposition, that the Hudson has in 

 reality forced its wa}^ through this impeding barrier, and 

 thus gained a more direct passage to the ocean. 



It has been justly remarked by an able geographer, that 

 there is but one' pass on the earth having a specific resem- 

 blance to this valley. Scotland is divided into two unequal 

 sections, by what is well expressed by the term glen, signify- 

 ing a deep vale between high and steep hills. This glen 

 extends from the Atlantic ocean to the German sea, a dis- 

 tance of 120 miles, and has no summit higher than 70 feet, 

 although bounded on each side by high mountains. Each 

 of these jDasses is occupied by lakes and rivers which follow 

 the general direction of the glen, and both have been ren- 

 dered navigable by means of canals and other artificial im- 

 provements. 



Viewed as a whole, the Hudson and Champlain valley 

 may be more minutely described as consisting of two un- 

 equal sub-basins: the one containing Lake George, Lake 

 Champlain, and the Chambly river; the other, the Hudson 

 river below Glen's falls. Lake George is a narrow sheet of 



