D R I F T , E TC . 3J 



. pd breaking up those surfaces of the .cdid strata, over which it 

 • assed. 



Proof that this theory has a foundation, is found in the fact 

 lal analogous changes in the relative position of sea and land 



jas taken place ; and also that immediately subsequent to the 

 , eriod when the rocks were scored in the manner now well known 



> all geologists, those northern waters did stand upon, and cover 

 ige areas of New-England and New- York. I refer to that 

 >nod when the tertiary of Champlain, of Lubec, Portland, 

 e., and other places, were deposited j a period of quiet which 

 .mediately followed that of drift, oceanic action and transporta- 



pn. 



Immediately succeeding the period of quiet, another one of 

 ■I'vation must be recognized, during which some disturbance of 

 ije loose materials occurred ; but in consequence of the wide area 



i|er which this elevatory action operated, the shape and contour 



<j the surface has been preserved, 



|l am aware that high authority is adverse to the admission of 



i|vertical movement ; yet, adverse as it is, I know not how to 



ijioncile facts and phenomena on this ground. 

 |Such, then, are briefly the facts and conclusions which I have 



aived at, in my investigations during the last year. That there 



a- many points which are not cleared up, and that much more 



Eght be said, I readily admit. But what I have thrown out is 



Sjticient to answer the object of this report, 



A^o^e.— Since the above was communicated, observations in the 

 sjie field have been continued, and so far from abandoning the 

 tJoretical view which is here advanced, we see every day facts 

 ^ich sustain it. The important fact, which we have frequently 

 sted on other occasions as well as in this report, that New Eng- 

 ied and New-York, as well as the wide extent of territory west 

 ai north, has been submerged, and was evidently submerged just 

 P'terior to the great drift period, never ought to be lost sight of 



s fact IS substantiated by the marine deposit of Lake Champlain^ 

 a ^posit filled in many places with marine shells ; and what is to 

 f^pomt, this marine deposit rests immediately upon the grooved 



