Bursting of Lakes through Mountains. 253 
of Pocahontas, is continued from the North River into 
Georgia, without interruption from even one ridge. I have 
travelled along it nearly five hundred miles, at least I am 
acquainted with it from Newburgh to Fincastle in Virginia. 
e tide flows across this valley in the North River, 0 
course it is here much lower than at Fincastle, which is two 
hundred miles from the sea-board. So that the waters of 
James River might be brought by a canal into the Hudson 
river near Newburgh. 
say nothing of the unpbilosophical hypothesis that 
repreeaits the mountain torn asunder at six points simulta- 
neously, it is most evident, that the supposed lake could 
never have risen within five hundred feet of the summit of 
the Highlands at West Point, as they would have dise 
ed themselves over the summit of the mountain below 
risburgh. ‘The same remark applies with still greater force 
to the passage of the Potomac, at Harper’s Ferry. 
But what is most decisive, the height of land on the route 
of our northern canal, is only one hundred and fifteen feet 
above the head of the tide at Still Water, on the Hudson. 
Hence the waters of the lake would have discharged them- 
selves by lake Champlain and the Sorrel into the St. Law~- 
rence, before they could rise within fourteen hundred feet of 
the summit of Butler Hill, near West Point. 
Is it not the best theory of the earth, that the Creator, in 
the beginning, at least at the general deluge, formed it with 
all its present grand characteristic features ‘ 
If the above short dissertation comports with the design 
of your Journal it is at your service. 
ruly yours. phe 
J. W. WILSON. — 
Newburgh, 29th March, 1821. vin 
* undoubtedly brought matter into 
Po campoint govern it; the operation of thor ered ag nm 
subject of eevee aeoain tad Remeis ie not the opera 
tive course, fo the knot where it may he wnticd. Bia. = 
