HISTORY OF VERMONT, 45 



er the waters are raised to their greatest height. 

 These intervales are level, and extensive plains ; 

 of the same altitude as the banks of the river ; 

 in width they often reach from a quarter of a 

 mile, to a mile and an half, sometimes on one, 

 and sometimes on both sides of the river. 

 There are frequently two strata of the intervales, 

 the one four or jBve feet higher than the other ; 

 the highest of which is not overflowed, but 

 when the waters are raised to an uncommon 

 height ; but they are level, and extensive like 

 the other. Both of them have many indications, 

 that they were formed by the waters of the riv- 

 ers. The soil is always of that rich mud and 

 slime, which is brought down by the rivers in 

 the spring. In digging into these lands, vari- 

 ous appearances of decaying vegetables are fre- 

 quently found. The strata formed at particular 

 years, are easily distinguished ; and the origin- 

 al and new made soil are so different, as to be 

 readily known. The limbs and trunks of large 

 and sound trees, are often found at various 

 depths ; sometimes so low as forty feet below 

 the surface. The small islands in these inter- 

 vales, are of a diiferent soil, and less rich ; and 

 are evidently the tops of small hills, which have 

 not been covered by the inundations of the riv- 

 ers. These long and level surfaces are peculi- 

 ar to the banks of rivers, and consist of the 

 same rich manure which is yet annually brought 

 down, and deposited by the waters. The cause^ 

 by which they are now annually increased, could 

 not fail to have produced such effects, in the 

 course of a long series of years. 



In these intervales there are several places, 

 F 



