20 Account of an Excursion to Mount Katahdin. 



These theories will be hereafter much farther extended, and noth- 

 ing will contribute more to bring them to perfection than numerous 

 series of exact experiments ; for mathematical analysis can deduce 

 from general and simple phenomena, the expressions of the laws of 

 nature ; but the application of these laws to very complicated effects, 

 requires a long course of accurate observations. 



Art. II. — Account of an Excursion to Mount Katahdin, in Maine; 

 by J. W. Bailey, Acting Professor of Chemistry, &ic. U. S. Mili- 

 tary Academy, West Point. 



TO PROFESSOR SILLIMAN. 



Sir — During a short visit which I made this summer to Water- 

 ville, in Maine, my curiosity was excited by the accounts I read 

 and heard concerning Mount Katahdin, the highest mountain in the 

 State. Its elevation and isolated position, together with the tradi- 

 tionary legends of the Penobscot Indians, that Katahdin is the resi- 

 dence of evil spirits, have given to this mountain considerable local 

 celebrity. It has, however, been visited by few white men, and 

 of their observations no accurate accounts have been published. Not 

 being aware of the proposed geological survey of the State, (which, 

 since my return, I learn has been assigned to able hands,) and in 

 hopes that by visiting this mountain some interesting geological and 

 botanical observations might be made, I proposed to Prof. Keely of 

 Waterville College an excursion, on which Prof. Barnes of the same 

 institution promised to accompany us. 



In this communication, the object of which is to give a sketch of 

 our journey and observations, I have purposely entered into some 

 details, which may appear too trivial for admission into a scientific 

 journal, but I believe these will be useful, by giving to any persons 

 who may wish to visit Katahdin some idea of the manner of life 

 they may expect to lead, the preparations to be made, and the route 

 to be pursued. 



Having procured a light wagon, Mr. Keely and myself proceeded 

 on Saturday, the 6th of August, for Bangor. Our route lay through 

 Clinton, Dixmont and Hampden. The rock passed over this day 

 was argillite ov grayvvacke slate, divided into very thin, nearly ver- 

 tical laminse, slightly dipping to the southeast. The direction or 



