Geology, &fc. of the Connecticut. 4S 



primitive greenstone. Some of the specimens scarcely 

 differ from pure hornblende. 



Between the two extremities of granite above named, 

 there is no.t a mile, except in Amherst, where this rock may 

 not be found in some part of the valley of the Connecticut. 

 The most continuous and lofty ridge is that of which West- 

 Rock may be considered as the southern termination — al- 

 though the west rock range is broken off a few miles be- 

 tween Mount Carmel and the Meriden or Berlin moun- 

 tains. This ridge from West-Rock to Cheshire, presses 

 hard upon the primitive rocks, often approaching the slate 

 within a few rods. It presents, on the west, a lofty naked 

 wall, appearing as if nature had erected this mighty ram- 

 part to guard the secondary region of the Connecticut 

 from the encroachments of the primitive ; while the 

 great quantity of broken fragments along its base and scat- 

 tered in abundance for four or five miles over the chlo- 

 rite slate and argillite, evince that these ridges of 

 greenstone were once much more elevated than at 

 present. This range divides in the northern part of 

 Hamden, the eastern branch forming Mount Carmel, and 

 the western branch continuing into Southington, where it 

 chiefly disappears, although immense bowlders of green- 

 stone are scattered over the surface until we come to the 

 north partof Farmington. Here the ridge again commen- 

 ces, and inclining considerably to the right, terminates in 

 the north-east corner of Granby, Connecticut, in the Meni- 

 tick or Manitick mountain, on the top of which runs the 

 line between Granby and Suffield. 



Mount Carmel terminates a little east of north from New- 

 Haven, and until we reach the Meriden or Berlin mountains, 

 the greenstone disappears. Commencing with these moun- 

 tains,wefindanalmostuninterrupted ridge ofgreenstone,con- 

 linuinginto Massachusetts. Its elevation decreases, for the 

 most part, as we go north, until we come to East-Hampton, 

 when it suddenly rises, like the coil of a huge serpent, and 

 forms Mount Tom, probably the highest point in the green- 

 stone ranges of New-England. I do not know that its 

 height has ever been accurately measured: but, comparing 

 it with Holyoke, it cannot be much less than a thousand 

 feet above Connecticut river. Connecticut river crosses 



