il 



but barely three miles of alluvial soil on the New-York 

 side,* by which it passes ; and the Connecticut river has 

 about the same. How much the others, viz : the St. 

 John's, which flows into the bay of Funda, the Kenne- 



* I have mentioned three miles of alluvial formation on the 

 New- York side, as it has generally been supposed, and in fact re- 

 presented that the site on which New- York stands, is strictly of 

 an alluvial formation ; for in a geological description of York 

 Island, by Dr. JUkerly* (see Bruce's Mineralogical Journal, page 

 193,) it is said that " the primary part is all the island, except 

 that over which the city is built." 



From the opportunities which I have had of examining York 

 Island, I am unable to reconcile this opinion to my present views 

 of the subject. That the ground, on which the city is built, and the 

 hills that have been dug away, were alluvial is unquestionable : 

 the rolled pebbles of various kinds, and boulders of granite and 

 other kinds of rocks that have been found deposited there in the 

 earth, are demonstrative of the fact. But it does not follow from 

 these premises that the south part of New-Y'ork county, or the 

 southern extremity of York Island, is to be considered as being a 

 part of, or within an alluvial district. The same facts and appear- 

 ances may be seen, in numerous instances, on the granite ridge, so 

 called, not only within the limits of the primitive district, but 

 upon the ridges, and those too in particular on the most southern 

 borders of the primitive range. Such I am inclined to believe is, 

 (with due deference to those who have advanced a contrary 

 opinion,) the real foundation on which New- York stands; and 

 that too from the following circumstances. 



It is well known that the strata of gneiss are exposed to view, 

 on the surface at the battery, at the present time, and running, 

 apparently, in a direction nearly parallel with the Hudson river, 

 which leads to the conclusion that this ridge or mass of rocks, is a 

 spur of the granite ridge* and that it underlays the whole city. 



