44 DESCRIPTION oF THe 
on which fide we afcended, having firft gained the height 
of land between the waters of Saco and Amarifcogin rivers, 
to which there is a gradual afcent for twelve miles from 
the plains of Pigwacket. At this height of land there is 
asmeadow which was formerly a beaver-pond with a dam 
at each end. The water iflues out of a mountain on its 
eaftern fide in the form of fprings, and meandering through 
the channels of the meadow appears ftagnant in the mid- 
dle but dividing its courfe, at the fouth end of the meadow 
it runs into Ellis river, a branch of Saco; and at the north 
end into Peabody river, a branch of Amarifcogin. From 
this meadow there is an uninterrupted afcent on a ridge 
between two-deep gullies to the higheft fummit. 
The fides of the mountains are covered with fpruce trees ; 
the furface is compofed of loofe rocks covered with very 
long green mofs, which reaches from rock to rock, and 
is in many places fo thick and {trong as to fupport a man’s 
weight. This immenfe bed of mofs, fpread over the fur- 
face of thefe mountains ferves, as a fpunge to retain the 
moifture brought by the clouds and vapors which are con- 
tinually rifing and gathering round the mountains; the 
thick growth of {pruce prevents the fun’s rays from pene- 
trating to exhale it; fo that there is a conftant fupply of 
water to the numberlefs fprings with which this region 
abounds, and an unceafing circulation of fluid, the procefs 
of which is highly entertaining to the fpeftator ; for no 
fooner has a fhower defcended from the clouds, but the 
vapor rifes from the leaves of the foreft in innumerable 
little columns, which, having gained a certain height in 
the atmofphere, collect and converge toward the moun- 
tains, where they either fall again in fhowers or are im- 
bibed by the mofs and depofited in the crevices of the rocks, 
feeking their way to the hard ftratum or pan which. is 
impenetrable, and which guides them till they find vent 
in fprings. The fame liquid tribute is daily exhaled from 
the rivers, ponds and low grounds, and attracted to the 
mountains, 
