120 BLACK EIVEE. 



TERRACES ON BLACK EIVER. 



Black Kiver rises in Plymouth, and after passing through Ludlow, Cavendish and Weathersfield, empties 

 into the Connecticut in Springfield. Though we have not examined all the sections of its route, we are 

 prepared to mention at least five well marked hasins upon it, viz.: at Springfield, North Springfield, 

 Cavendish, Ludlow, and the village at Tyson's Furnace, in Plymouth. 



The first basin is in Springfield. Upon the Connecticut in this town terraces are very meager, while 

 upon Black Kiver they are quite numerous and extensive, and produce the beautiful site of the village of 

 South Springfield, Between the two villages is a waterfall, which may be regarded as the limit between 

 the two basins. At North Springfield there is a very large terrace (No. 3) which constitutes an extensive 

 plain. It is at the confluence of the present Black Kiver and a small stream from North Chester, upon the 

 latter of which are found some alluvial accumulations. This plain seems to have been formed as a sort of 

 delta by a former course of Black River, when it ran through the gorge in which the Rutland and Burlington 

 Kailroad is built, from Cavendish village to North Chester (G-assett's station), whence it flowed to North 

 Springfield. This plain is composed of sand and fine gravel, and extends nearly to Perkinsville. As a 

 further evidence of this old river bed, besides the facts stated in another place, we would present the fact 

 that between Perkinsville and the mouth of Twenty-mile Stream, near Cavendish village, Black River runs 

 over rocks, and leaves scarcely any terrace materials. Whatever loose materials are present, are entirely 

 composed of coarse drift, for the bed of the river is filled with great bowlders, from the size of a pebble to 

 eight or ten feet in diameter. And there are several falls in the river, known as Upper Falls, Lower Falls, 

 &c. Upon .a small tributary stream from the north, which passes through G-reenbush, there is an unusually 

 large meadow, accompanied by no higher terraces, which extends to Felchville. It lies immediately west 

 of Little Ascutney, and its formation seems to be due to the easily decomposing nature of the rock that 

 once occupied it, rather than to a powerful current. As will be shown elsewhere, this valley coincides with 

 the strike of certain beds, of dolomitic limestone ; hence we can readily suppose that an unusually large 

 valley would be formed here, considering the size of the stream that may be supposed to have excavated it. 

 Upon the Twenty-mile stream there are in general two terraces, as far as Plymouth, which are represented, 

 though not with accuracy, upon the map, Plate II, and Plate V, Fig. 1. 



The third basin, including Cavendish and Proctorsville; is very distinct. The highest terraces may be 

 regarded as gorge terraces so called because the former barrier at the end of the basin compelled the cur- 

 rents to deposit their detritus near and about the entrance to the gorge. If we examine the enlarged map 

 of this basin, Plate V, Fig. 1, we shall find that the gorge is upon the route of the railroad below Caven- 

 dish depot, and that an immense amount of ter- 

 race materials have been deposited in Cavendish. 

 They are represented upon Fig. 62, where are also 

 seen the present beds of the river, where the sec- 

 tion crosses them at Cavendish, near the depot, 

 and at the mouth of Twenty-mile stream, and the 

 old bed of the river as indicated by pot-holes in 

 the rock. No. 4 crosses the valley in the village, 

 forming a high ridge, which is cut through by the 

 road down the river. It is composed of fine and 



Section of Terraces on Black River at Cavendish. coarse sand - Besides this terrace, there is a great 



accumulation of sand and gravel, which is mostly 



placed upon the map as the third terrace, though it is quite irregular. Two smaller terraces intervene 

 between this and the river. But the river, instead of wearing away a passage for itself through these ter- 

 races, has worn a circuitous channel through gneiss, its descent for less than a half mile being 185 feet. 

 This interesting locality will be treated of again under the subject of erosion. 



Following up the river from Cavendish, we see three terraces generally upon both sides, till we reach 

 Proctorsville, where there are four on the north side, and six on the south side, together with an irregular 



