No. 216.] 681 



been made along the line of the road, and the land cultivated; and 

 in every case where the trial has been made, the result has been 

 most favorable, the land producing equal to that of any other part of 

 the Island This wild region is about forty miles long, by about 

 seven wide, containing 280 square miles, almost every acre of which 

 can be cultivated without any difficulty or secret. There is not a sin' 

 glefad that can be brought against this assertion; indeed, all sci- 

 ence, analogy and experiment, go to confirm its truth. 



The railroad passes through this wilderness a little to the south of 

 the " hills," or ridge of high ground, running through the Island 

 from east to west; and that some idea may be formed of the situation 

 of this region, that it is not a " dead level," may be seen by a re* 

 ference to the following table of height and distances of the railroad, 

 furnished by James Shipman, Esq., engineer of the road, and pub* 

 lished in Prime's History of Long Island. 



Distance. Height above 



tide water. 



Brooklyn termination, -*- 7 feet. 



Bedford, 2| miles, 73 " 



Watering place near east New-York, 2| " 83 " 



Jamaica, 6 " 40 " 



Hempstead branch, - 7 " 103 " 



Hicksville, S " 142 " 



Farmingdale, 5 " 63 " 



Suffolk station, - 13 " 90 « 



Medford station, 11 " 82 " 



Millville, 5 " 40 " 



St. George Manor, 7 *' 46 " 



Riverhead, 7 " 32 " 



Mathtuck, - 10 " 16 " 



Cutchogue, 2 " 47 " 



Southold, 5 " 42 " 



Greenport, 4 " 10 " 



It will be seen by this table, the ground over which the road pass- 

 es is high, from Hicksville to Riverhead, and the average distance 

 from the railroad to the shore of the great South Bay, is probably 

 about 5 miles, which would be a descent of about twelve feet to the 

 mile, from the road to the shore. 



An abundant supply of the purest water can be obtained in any 

 part of this portion of the Island, at depths from 12 to 60 feet. At 



