344 THE GLACIAL LAKE AGASSIZ. 



the ilrift liills forming its east border, and the vast plain of tlie Red River 

 Valley, are prairie, excepting- that narroAV belts of timber border the water- 

 courses. 



Smoothly undulating till rises slowly from the west side of the southern 

 part of the Golden Valley; but in section 30, Lampton, rounded hills of till 

 attain a height about 100 feet above the valley, or 1,300 feet above the sea. 

 Thence northward a smooth slope ascends 50 to 60 feet, or in some por- 

 tions only 30 or 40 feet, within the first quarter or half of a mile to the 

 west, succeeded beyond by a moderately rolling surface with less ascent. 



A terrace of beach sand and gravel, containing pebbles and cobbles 

 up to 6 inches in diameter, extends a third of a mile from southeast to 

 northwest, with a width of 5 to 30 rods, in the northwest quarter of section 

 33, Lampton, abutting on the west flank of the rolling and hill}^ deposits 

 of till which make the east border of the Golden Valley. It was formed 

 by currents entering this strait of Lake Agassiz from the north, eroding the 

 bordering hills in the east edge of sections 20 and 29, and thence sweep- 

 ing this sand and gravel southward. It marks the highest stage of Lake 

 Agassiz, having an elevation of 1,213 to 1,195 feet, declining from north to 

 south, and also sinking 1 or 2 feet from west to east in its width of 100 

 to 500 feet, being thus slightly higher along its verge than where it rests 

 vipon the adjoining hilly till. 



Middle Branch of Park River near the middle of the south side of 

 section 5, Lampton, about 3 miles northwest of Edinburgh station, 1,185 

 feet above the sea; crest of the south bank of the very small valle}^ of this 

 stream, rising to the flat Golden Valley, 1,192 feet on the east to 1,215 feet 

 on the west. The Golden Valley here shows thus a transverse ascent of 

 more than 20 feet in its width of about 1 mile. On the north line of sec- 

 tions 5 and 6, Lampton, the east edge of this valley has an elevation of 

 1,210 feet, and its west edge, 1,220 feet. About a half mile farther north 

 the height of this belt where it is crossed by a tributary of the Middle 

 Branch is 1,220 to 1,235 feet from east to west, being thus above the 

 highest level of Lake Agassiz. 



