144 HYDEPARK. 



depot, or 321 feet above Lake Champlain. The river makes a bend at E. Georgia, and in the sub-basin thus 

 formed, we noticed two and four terraces upon the north side, and four beautiful ones on the south side. 

 Passing east of the railroad bridge we found no terraces whatever for a mile or two. In their place the 

 surface gradually sloped from the tops of the hills on either side to the river, the slope being composed of 

 scanty water-worn materials except where ledges showed themselves. 



Soon we pass the barrier, and in Fairfax are ushered into the second basin. West of the village of 

 Fairfax the highest terrace (perhaps a beach) is very large. The map (Plate V, Fig. 4) shows us at the 

 west end of the basin three terraces upon the north, and four upon the south side. They soon give place 

 to the first and fourth on both sides, each of which is unusually large. We think that the fourth terrace 

 in Westford, on the south side, along Brown's Eiver, extends to the Winooski River, and that an old bed 

 of the river is found along the same course. The surface is sandy, though probably underlaid by clay. 

 The highest and lowest terraces extend uninterruptedly to Cambridge. At Fairfax Falls we should 

 consider the basin limited did not the highest terraces continue on uninterruptedly ; for the river falls here 

 40 feet over talcose schist. At Cambridge Borough there is a narrow passage for the river, and though the 

 highest terrace continues upon the south side, we regard this ledge as the boundary between two basins. This is 

 the west end of the cut through the Green Mountains, and in this respect the village of Cambridge on the 

 La Moille corresponds to Jonesville on the Winooski River. But the valley of the La Moille above these 

 villages is much the wider of the two, and its terraces are scarcely less extensive than they are at Fairfax 

 and Fletcher. Just within the third basin, among the mountains, and near the backbone of the range 

 the continuation of Mansfield Mountain there are five large terrace^ on the north side offset against 

 Nos. 1 and 4 on the south side. Near the east line of Cambridge Nos. 1 and 5 occur upon the 

 north side, and four successive terraces appear on the south side. Those that succeed in Johnson, are 

 represented upon Plate V, Fig. 5. Just west of the village of Johnson, another barrier is seen correspond- 

 ing with the one in West Waterbury on the Winooski River, and the fourth basin opens before us, holding 

 the village of Johnson in its lap. The valley expands very much, and there are five terraces on both sides; 

 the highest of which on the north side is 190 feet above the La Moille at Johnson. East of the village we 

 find the valley blocked up with great terraces. The highest one is in the middle of the valley, and 

 though now isolated, was doubtless formerly connected with the sides of the valley. It is marked as No. 6 

 upon the map, and is 277 feet above the river, and 737 feet above the ocean. It is composed of sand and 

 gravel. Four terraces occur upon the east side of this gigantic pile, and appear like steps artificially 

 prepared for a giant's staircase. 



The highest and lowest terraces accompany one another east of Johnson into Hydepark, with occasional 

 additions to their number, often four in succession. They gradually expand, till at the Hydepark Court 

 House, and in Morristown, the extent of the two highest terraces, Nos. 3 and 4, exceeds the limits of any 

 high terraces noticed upon any river in Vermont heretofore, away from their mouths. Hydepark is in the 

 center of a great valley running north and south between two great ranges of mountains, and the detritus 

 from both sides seems to have centered here. The terraces are probably four miles wide upon the La 

 Moille, and we were unable to follow up the valleys to ascertain the extent of terraces upon the tributary 

 streams. We think the amount of terrace materials accumulated in Hydepark and Morristown upon the 

 La Moille, greater than at any other place in the State, unless we were deceived by the open and wide 

 valley and the appearance of the distant terraces, for we were obliged to hasten through the town without 

 careful examination. In the east part of the town, the terraces have again contracted to their customary 

 width, though still of great thickness. Our notes show five terraces on each side of the river in the west 

 part of Wolcott. 



At Wolcott Center the terraces are perhaps higher than usual, because since they were formed the river 

 has cut through the rocks some fifty feet, as evinced by pot-holes. From Wolcott we went up to Eagle 

 ledge, passing up the valley of a small stream. Along its course we found terraces, and when above the ter- 

 races at a height of 600 to 700 feet above Wolcott, fine sea beaches were observed. 



Between Wolcott and Hardwick the highest terraces are enormous. We measured one that is 380 feet 

 above the river, and 1100 feet above the ocean. This is the highest terrace that has been measured in 



