MILTON SAND BAR. 143 



" No observations have been made to determine the manner in which the materials washed from the shores, 

 or conveyed by the streams, are disposed of by the lake. But that the lake is constantly but slowly filling up 

 and its depth diminishing, there can be no doubt. It is not probable, however, that these materials are 

 distributed over its bottom with any degree of uniformity. In some places they are undoubtedly thrown 

 into ridges by the action of the waves, forming banks or bars. The sand bar joining Milton to South Hero, 

 was probably formed in this way. There are strong reasons to believe that the La Moille River, which now 

 empties on the south, formerly emptied to the north of this bar. This river, which traverses a large extent 

 of sandy plain, must formerly have brought into the lake a vast amount of sand. This sand, being checked 

 in its flow towards the south, and thrown back by the south wind which prevails here, is thought to have 

 been the means by which this sand bar has been formed. When the lake is low, this sand bar renders it 

 fordable between Milton and South Hero." 



By looking at the map any one will see that if the La Moille formerly entered the lake by the north 

 channel exclusively, it never could have formed this bar, because the current would be directed towards 

 North Hero instead of South Hero. Hence we have suggested that it probably flowed through both chan- 

 nels like the Missisco River, which now passes through several channels to the lake. Moreover there is an 

 island now forming at the present mouth of the La Moille, which by steady growth will make as large an 

 island between future channels of the river, as the former island between the ancient channels. It will also 

 be seen how unnecessary it is to suppose that the work went on formerly and not at present, as Prof. 

 Thompson's language seems to imply. We have supposed that the work is now going on, and the deposit 

 of sand at the east end of the road, and at other places on the lake, proves it. 



The other point to which we wished to call attention in this quotation, is the steady increase of the land 

 below the level of the lake. No one can doubt that the lake is filling up, and it is precisely in this way 

 that terraces are now forming. A large amount of detritus is brought into the lake from time to time. It 

 gradually rises to the surface of the water, and can by no efforts of the river rise more than two or three 

 feet above the surface of the lake, or to the maximum rise of the waters. Now we contend that the whole of 

 the sandy point has been thus formed, and if the lake should now within six months sink fifty feet, these 

 sand banks and bars would project as level-topped terraces, wherever they had reached the top of the water 

 before it sunk. Then if the water should remain stationary for another long period, and then sink, or if it 

 should sink gradually, another set of terraces would show themselves along its borders. It is precisely 

 in this way that the great plain or terrace east of Burlington, and extending through Colchester and Mil- 

 ton into Georgia, was formed. When the lake was 260 feet higher than it is now, it covered this plain, 

 which had been steadily accumulating for hundreds of years. When the continent rose, the water was 

 drained off, this plain was left dry, the rivers cut their present channels through it, and as the drainage 

 was gradual, lower terraces were formed (seven in one place) as well as the deltas of the Winooski and La 

 Moille rivers, which are still increasing in size. 



The first basin on La Moille River extends from Lake Ohamplain to Georgia railroad station. Possibly 

 the barrier of red Winooski limestone may have kept the lower limit of the basin at a short distance from 

 the lake for a time. The greater size of this ridge, that has been worn through, may be the reason why the 

 La Moille has a smaller delta than the Winooski and Missisco Rivers. We see not why this position is not 

 tenable. 



We can say but little respecting this basin. We have seen one or two points only within it. At Milton 

 Falls we noticed at least five trim terraces on the south side of the river, and three or four on the north side 

 below the level of the fourth terrace or the great plain. This terrace upon the south side extends to the 

 north part of Colchester, and is about three miles wide. We cannot give the limits of this terrace upon the 

 north side with definiteness. Georgia plains constitute a part of it, and its western limit is generally the 

 range of Winooski limestone near the lake shore. Cobble Hill is almost surrounded by this terrace. At 

 the depot on the Vermont and Canada railroad in Georgia, the eastern limit of this terrace and basin is 

 reached. 



We took two observations with the Aneroid Barometer upon this highest terrace at intervals of three 

 miles, and found its altitude in both places exactly the same 132 feet above the La Moille east of Georgia 



