LIME POND. 



149 



Tliis pond was 941 feet above the ocean, was partially crescent shaped, was computed to cover eight acres, 

 and was from 20 to 25 feet deep. It was situated like Long Pond in Glover, at the height of land. Below 

 it on the east side, was a saw mill, fed by a stream that was not quite sufficient to carry the wheels at all 

 seasons. By similar arguments that urged the inhabitants of Keene Corner to their work in Glover, Mr. 

 Josiah White the owner of this mill in Williamstown was incited to open a trench in the barrier of the 

 pond, about thirty years ago, to increase his mill privilege, ^imilar results followed the opening of the 

 trench. The water rushed out through an opened passage about twelve feet wide, and increased the stream 

 more than was desired, for a short time carrying along great stones and tearing up trees in its course. The 

 mill was saved with difficulty. Because the outlet was small, the water of the pond did not all rush out in 

 a dense column ; and thereby its effects were not so pernicious upon the property in its path. 



The bed of the pond that remains is quite interesting. It is entirely composed of marl of the best quality, 

 which is burnt for quicklime, and sold by the owner, Jason Fuller, at a profit. A large part of the marl is 

 located in a terrace which was around the pond below the former water level, and is about ten or twelve 

 feet high. Near the outlet of the pond, where the pond was the deepest, and the water ran for the longest 

 time when the barrier burst, there is another terrace about three feet high. These two, with the meadow 

 (calling the meadow the first terrace), make three lake terraces, formed by the draining of a pond. 

 It is an interesting case, because it shows us that the drainage of ponds forms terraces precisely 

 like those lining the beautiful basins of river terraces that we have been describing. To be sure these ter- 

 races are very small, but they illustrate a great principle, and are an epitome of the manner in which 

 terraces have been formed upon all our rivers. It is not uncommon to find beautiful exhibitions of diminu- 

 tive basins of terraces in those ephemeral ponds formed by heavy storms. We have often examined their 

 dried beds, and found the whole phenomena of terraces exhibited upon them in miniature. There will be 

 lateral and delta terraces where a larger stream than usual flowed into this pool we have counted seven 

 or eight in some cases and again there will be the terraces surrounding the pool formed by the numerous 

 washings in of sand around the edges of the pond, which forms at the successive levels of the water. We 

 have fancied sometimes even that a more interesting section might be derived from these minute examples 

 than from the large basins in nature, because when observed immediately after their formation, they are 

 more perfect than their analogues on some large stream. 



The former limit of Lime Pond may be seen most distinctly by the water marie. Around almost every pond 

 at the water's edge, there are numerous bushes, which often form a dense tangle. There was such a shrubby 



wall surrounding Lime Pond in the days of its 

 glory ; and now that its glory is departed, this 

 line of shrubs remains, indicating the former 

 level of the water more exactly than any 

 measurements that man could have devised 

 would have done, at the lapse of thirty years 

 after the removal of the water. This water 



line is made more distinct by the contrast between these clumps of bushes around the pond, and the fine 

 growth of grass that occupies the former bed of the pond. The excavation through the barrier of the pond 

 has left an interesting gorge, of which we have given a section in Fig. 66. The gorge is about ten rods 

 long and fifteen feet deep. The outer part about six rods in length on the surface, is composed of coarse 

 gravel and drift materials, which are, however, stratified, and consolidated in some places, being as tough 

 as conglomerate. Next to the conglomerate is a bed of fine sand about six feet thick. This is a quicksand, 

 and was the cause of the break. Next we see calcareous clay mixed with marl, containing an abundance 

 of shells, and occasionally vegetable matter. This is quite thick, extending over nearly three rods of sur- 

 face, and dipping at an angle of 20 to the west, or under the water (formerly.) Succeeding the marl 

 and clay is a deposit of peat over a foot in thickness, which is in the bottom of the pond, and is now 

 forming in the swampy portion. A great portion of the meadow is very swampy. 



We think of only one other example of lake terraces that has passed under our notice ; and that is 

 near Tyson's Furnace, in Plymouth. There is a pond here, which is properly an expansion of Black 



Former bed of pond, 

 Muck. 



Atari 



FlO. 66. 

 Clay sand. 



Coarse gravel. 



Section in alluvium at Lime Pond, Williamstown. 



