GENERAL DESCRIPTION. IX 



arrangement. They are frequently solitary ; and whenever 

 they can aggregate in groups or clusters, their positions are 

 determined by the local arrangements of the neighboring- 

 waters. Between the lakes, or rather ponds, of this uni- 

 form section, which are disseminated in singular precision 

 over the whole plateau, the surface rises gently from the 

 shores into swells of arable land, excepting the southern de- 

 clivities which are often abrupt and precipitous. 



The eastern part of the plateau, embracing a tract of 

 country about 50 miles wide and 140 miles in length, and 

 terminated by the Raquette Valley on the west, is decidedly 

 Alpine in its physical aspect. Its apparently confused wil- 

 derness of mountains is found, on close examination, to be 

 disposed in ranges nearly parallel to the valley above men- 

 tioned. These terminate in successive bold and rocky 

 promontories on the western shore of Lake Champlain. 

 The chains increase in elevation as they approach the inte- 

 rior, until they attain their greatest altitude and grandeur 

 in the most western one of the series. This has a northern 

 termination at Trembleau Point, and thrusts its southern 

 extremity into the bed of the Mohawk at Little Falls. It 

 consists of an extended aggregation of mountain masses, 

 resting on bases that are elevated nearly 2000 feet above 

 tide. Many of these throw their bare and pointed summits 

 of rock to the perpendicular altitude of about a mile above 

 the surface of the ocean. The vastness of their elevations, 



