116 Minet^alogy and Geology of the White Mountains. 



its branch the Amonoosuck, is not less than eighty or eighty-five 

 miles from the mountains,) observed the same fact here, under the 

 following circumstances. — He had returned from a ride of a few 

 miles up the Connecticut, and along its banks, and noticed the 

 water but slightly risen above its usual summer height, and clear. 

 In about half an hour, he was informed, the river had suddenly 

 assumed a very peculiar aspect, and so different from what he had 

 just seen, that he was incredulous of the truth of the report. On 

 going to the bridge, (half a mile,) he saw no longer a river of pure 

 water, but the channel somewhat fuller than when he last saw it, 

 and a semi-fluid mass, of a light hrick red^ descending in a sluggish 

 current. The water, in fact, was charged with as much earth as 

 it could sustain, and retain its fluidity. Unfortunately, no mem- 

 orandum was made, so as to recall the exact time of this occur- 

 rence, and thus enable us to measure the velocity, or the time ta- 

 ken to reach this place ; but it was coincident with the arrival of 

 the news of the storm, and the river continued to flow thus for 

 several days.* 



The mountains furrowed by the channels above mentioned, are 

 in a peculiarly favorable condition to be examined, and the records 

 of their history are written in indelible characters. There is the 

 most abundant evidence of the prevalence of igneous agencies in 

 elevating these mountains, and afterwards filling the fissures with 

 intrusive rocks ; and from the numerous trap dikes in the sienite 

 and other rocks of the New England coast, and the very remark- 

 able ones in the highlands of Essex county, N. Y., it is not im- 

 probable the whole of this primitive region has been convulsed 

 and elevated by the same causes. 



Decomposing Granite. 



There are many violent causes at work to reduce the lai'ge 

 masses of granite to fragments ; but as those which are at rest and 

 removed from the action of running water and violent concussions 



* The oxide of iron, arising from the decomposition of the rocks for years, seems 

 by this storm to have been swept away, and carried down by the streams ; and the 

 inhabitants who live on the bank of the river opposite this village, speak of this 

 ochery appearance of the water as entirely peculiar, having occurred only at this 

 period during the last twenty years. 



The gentleman above mentioned has been perfectly acquainted with the river 

 during his whole life, and he assures me nothing of this kind has been known here 

 except on this occasion, for the last Jifiy years. 



