TERRACES. 113 



BASINS FEOM NORWICH TO WATEEFOED. 



The valley grows narrower after leaving White Eiver Junction, the Connecticut grows smaller, and has 

 a swifter current, still at times the valley widens, and the terraces are quite numerous. 



The tenth basin is confined to the town of Norwich, and at the first the rocks press closely upon it. 

 The materials are fine, but are deposited at the proper places, even though the rock permits but little 

 surface for it to rest upon. It seems to be a law in the deposition of terraces : that at regular intervals 

 an attempt should be made to form a bank, and that when a shelving surface excluded much material, all 

 was deposited that could possibly be retained, while the remainder was carried farther . down the stream, 

 to find a more favorable spot for its resting place. 



Dartmouth College is situated upon one of the higher terraces on the east side of the river. This terrace 

 extends some distance north and south, and almost touches the bank of the river, allowing however two 

 smaller terraces to intervene. In a valley east of the observatory was probably an old bed of the Connec- 

 ticut. We traced this bed a couple of miles north, but did not examine its southern prolongation to learn 

 its reunion with the present bed of the river. Upon the Norwich side the terraces cling to the bank of the 

 river, and are separated from the village by ledges of rock. The strata of clay in the third terrace dip ten 

 or twelve degrees to the west, and contain concretions. The village is situated on a plain ; and it is worthy 

 of inquiry to ascertain whether this level tract may not be in some way connected with the Connecticut, 

 either as an old bed or the tongue of a high terrace. We were unable to determine this point. 



The terraces continue in great force to Pompanoosuc village in North Norwich, .especially on the Vermont 

 side ; and the highest terrace, the fourth, passes over into Thetford, the eleventh basin a ledge of rock 

 showing itself for some distance on the east side at the boundaries of the two basins. 



At South Thetford station there are three small terraces on each side, and the meadow is well developed 

 in the village. To the north their places are occupied by No. 4, which in turn, at North Thetford, divari- 

 cate at a considerable angle ; so that the valley is wider than at any place between this and South Lebanon. 

 Four terraces occur on both sides, succeeded on the east by an old shore or beach. Upon the third terrace, 

 east of Thetford village, and 140 feet above Connecticut river, there is a pond covering ten acres of surface, 

 having neither outlet nor inlet. A gorge shuts out this beautiful basin, as we travel swiftly northward, 

 and after riding a moment in a narrow rocky defile, for we will suppose ourselves seated, in our rapid 

 survey up the river, upon a railroad car expressly fitted up for Geologists : so arranged that we can have 

 ample opportunity to see the country both sides of the track after the moment spent in the gorge, 

 the curtain, as it were, suddenly rises, and shows us the twelfth basin, in Fairlee. Though it is the 

 shortest, it is not the least attractive : the wide meadow and the trim terraces, none of them very high, 

 remind us rather of the pleasure grounds of some nobleman, and we almost expected to find his cattle at 

 every turn in the road, or see the timid deer of the hunting grounds on the hills, scampering from our 

 gaze. But we see instead, beautiful farms, and such indications of thrift as show the prosperity of all 

 classes a much pleasanter sight in a free country than individual lordly magnificence. At the southern 

 extremity of this basin we find an old river bed passing around a higher terrace, leaving it like an island. 

 It is No. 3 surrounded by No. 1, and the latter joins the river only just above the gorge. 



Passing into the thirteenth basin, which commences at North Fairlee, and continues to South Newbury, 

 eight and a half miles, we find a wide meadow, with terraces on either side, varying at different places from 

 two to four, until we reach the village of Bradford, at the mouth of Wait's River. This stream, by uniting 

 its forces with the Connecticut, has produced high and extensive accumulations of fine materials. Four 

 terraces curve from their straight course on the Connecticut, and pass up this tributary for some distance, 

 on both sides. The village of Bradford is upon the lower terraces, while some buildings are placed upon 

 the highest bank ; one of which, a peculiarly shaped polygonal tower, used, we understand, for a town clock, 

 attracted the attention of the Geologists, almost as much as the terraces ; and the theories of the party, 

 respecting its use, differed as much as the theories of scientific men respecting the origin of terraces. 



Nearly opposite Wait's River, No. 4 is of large extent on the New Hampshire side, reaching to the river. 

 This gives place soon to Nos. 1 and 3, which extend to the eud of the basiu. The highest terrace on the 



