62 BULLETIN OF THE 



to be found on the continent. Among these, the New, Watauga j 

 Nolichucky, and French Broad are the best known. 



In the midst of this region, with all three ranges in sight, stands 

 Roan Mountain, Laurentian in age, the State line crossing it at an 

 altitude of 6,391 feet, as determined by the mean of my baromet- 

 rical observations — and on and about this mountain it was my good 

 fortune to stay from June 25th to August 30th. 



Notes upon some of the peculiarities of the region, as contrasted 

 with the northern Appalachian, will be my apology for asking 

 your attention. 



I. The Uniformity of Elevation. 



Standing on the summit of Roan, we look into seven different 

 States, and command a horizon of 30 to 80 miles. On the north 

 and west the eye catches the Cumberland range in the horizon, 

 beyond the great Tennessee plateau, which is traversed by the 

 Clinch and a score of other ranges, but all as level as if designed 

 for railroad embankments. 



On the south and east there is a wilderness of mountains. Guyot 

 gives 50 to 60 with altitudes exceeding 6,000 feet, and yet the 

 highest is only 6,717 feet, and perhaps 40 of them fall between 

 6,000 and 6,500, while hundreds of others are above 5,000. The 

 valleys rarely go below 3,000 feet. The railroad after leaving 

 Lynchburg reaches 1,000 feet in a few miles, and from that point for 

 nearly 300 miles never goes below 1,500 feet, its highest summit 

 being at 2,550 feet. 



II. Uniformity of Temperature. 



During nine weeks the mercury once indicated 75°, seven times 

 70° -J-, once 45°, three times 50°, the general daily variation being 

 between 55° and 65°. The spring, a few rods rods from the hotel, 

 has a temperature of 45°. Equally remarkable was the uniformity 

 of atmospheric pressure the highest barometer being 24.19, and the 

 lowest 23.87, or a difference of only 0.32 inches. No wind ha J a 

 velocity of more than twenty miles an hour, and seldom did it 

 reach ten. 



III. Fertility of the Summit. 



Instead of the upper 1,000 feet being, as in most of the northern 

 Appalachian peaks reaching an altitude of over 5,000 feet, a pile 



