GLACIAL DRIFT. 23/ 



interested in the facts may readily find them without a guide. The ground to the north 

 of Bethlehem slopes gently northward, and is not wooded for about half a mile from 

 the street. Following the lane above mentioned, the first moraine reached skirts the 

 edge of the wood, and is near the houses of Mr. Phillips ; there are four others more 

 or less distinct before reaching a little trout brook called " Barrett's brook." The lane 

 descends more rapidly towards the brook than before, and where the descent begins to 

 be steep the eye commands the space between the brook and a higher ground on which 

 stands a house owned by Henry McCulloch. Over that interval six very fine moraines 

 may be counted, one of which is perhaps the finest specimen of a terminal moraine I 

 have ever seen. Beyond McCulloch's there are five more, not quite as distinct. The 

 ground beyond the termination of the glacier of the Rhone in Switzerland is celebrated 

 for its many distinct concentric terminal moraines ; but here we have a field over which, 

 within the same area, a larger number of such moraines may be seen, and I believe 

 that a pilgrimage to this spot would convert many a skeptic to the true faith concern- 

 ing the transportation of erratic boulders, especially if he has seen the glacier of the 

 Rhone, and can compare the phenomena of the two localities. 



The Littleton road from Bethlehem, and the roads to Franconia Notch from both 

 these towns, frequently intersect terminal moraines. Those familiar with the topog- 

 raphy of the Franconia range, and its relation to Picket hill and the slope of Bethle- 

 hem, will at once perceive that the glacier which deposited the front moraine to the 

 north of Bethlehem village must have filled the valley of Franconia to and above the 

 level of the saddle of Picket hill, making it at least fifteen hundred feet thick, if not 

 more ; thicker, in short, than any of the present glaciers of Switzerland. It will be 

 observed, also, that as soon as the northern portion of that glacier had retreated to the 

 wall which encircles the Franconia valley on the north, the glacier occupying hence- 

 forth a more protected valley within the ranges must have made a halt, and accumu- 

 lated at this point, that is, south and west of the saddle of Picket hill, a very large 

 terminal moraine. This moraine actually exists to the present day, and is one of the 

 most characteristic features of the distribution of erratics in these regions. From the 

 moment the glacier was reduced to the level of Franconia bottom, it must suddenly have 

 vanished entirely from the whole valley ; and thus it happens that no other large termi- 

 nal moraines are seen between that just mentioned and the higher range of Franconia. 



Moraines similar to those observed on the northern side of the White Mountains 

 exist also on their southern side in the vicinity of Center Harbor. Lateral moraines 

 may be traced at the foot of Red hill, a little above Long pond ; also, along Squam 

 lake. Median moraines are very distinct near Center Harbor hotel. Terminal mo- 

 raines are also numerous near Center Harbor, and in the neighborhood of Meredith. 

 At the southern end of Red hill the lateral moraines trend westward, and show their 

 connection with the terminal moraines. These facts, taken in their relation with those 

 enumerated above, show that there were local glaciers on the southern as well as the 

 northern slopes of the White Mountain ranges, moving in opposite directions, — those 

 on the northern slope moving northward, and those on the southern slope moving 

 VOL. in. 31 



