166 
The origin of the creek and its various features is a very interesting 
problem. It probably began as an original depression in the moraine, and, 
as at present, was fed by springs, the action of which is very apparent all 
along the creek’s upper course. The head of the creek is formed by a num- 
ber of small springs issuing from a low bank, and at various places many 
large perennial springs are found. 
In section 2 (see map), on the east side of the creek, the springs have 
eaten back the bank until a terrace has been formed. This terrace is ten 
feet above the marsh, is from ten to seventy-five yards in width, is one- 
fourth of a mile long and in all places is composed of soft wet ground, 
showing that water is still issuing from beneath. From the terrace the 
land abruptly rises ten to twenty feet to nearly level ground. 
If the tongues of land with their low necks are to be considered as 
islands nearly cut off and are to explain the origin of the islands, then 
there must have been a time when the quantity of water was much 
greater than at present. If there was more water most of it must have 
‘come from springs, as there is no evidence of water action except in the 
creek bed, the land on all sides being high and nearly level. Again, if the 
springs were more numerous and carried more water than at present, 
other evidence of their presence than that given above has entirely dis- 
appeared. 
The narrow necks appear to have been cut out by the recessions of 
springs on opposite sides toward each other and which have dried up with 
changing climatic conditions. 
There is no way at present to tell how deep the creek bed has been, 
as there are no wells of which sections may be obtained, except on the’ 
sides of the marsh and they are very shallow. 
The accompanying contour map will give a good idea of the position 
of the islands and tongues of land with their relative heights. The con- 
tour interval is ten feet. The elevations were taken with an aneroid bar- 
ometer and locations were made with a considerable degree of accuracy. 
