Journey to the Coteau des Prairies, &fc. 145 



him, vanishing into azure in the distance, without a speck or spot 

 to break their softness. 



The direction of this ridge clearly establishes the course of 

 the diluvial current in this region, and the erratic stones which 

 are distributed along the base I attribute to an origin several hun- 

 dred miles northwest from the Coteau. I have not myself tra- 

 ced the Coteau to its highest points, nor to its northern extremi- 

 ty, but on this subject I have closely questioned a number of 

 travellers who have traversed every mile of it with their carts, 

 and from thence to Lake Winnepec on the north, who uniformly 

 tell me that there is no range of primitive rocks to be crossed in 

 travelling the whole distance, which is one connected and con- 

 tinuous prairie. 



The surface of the top and the sides of the Coteau is every 

 where strewed over with granitic sand and pebbles, which, 

 together with the fact of the five bowlders resting at the Pipe 

 Stone quarry, show clearly, that every part of the ridge has been 

 subject to the action of these currents, which could not have run 

 counter to it, without having disfigured or deranged its beautiful 

 symmetry. 



The glazed or polished surface of the quartz rocks at the Pipe 

 Stone quarry I consider a very interesting subject, and one which 

 will hereafter produce a variety of theories, as to the manner in 

 which it has been formed, and the causes which have led to such 

 singular results. The quartz is of a close grain and exceedingly 

 hard, eliciting the most brilliant sparks from steel ; and in most 

 places, where it is exposed to the sun and the air, its surface has a 

 high polish, entirely beyond any result which could have been 

 produced by diluvial action, being perfectly glazed as if by igni- 

 tion. I was not sufficiently particular in my examinations, to as- 

 certain whether any parts of the surface of these rocks under the 

 ground and not exposed to the action of the air, were thus affec- 

 ted, which would afford an important argument in forming a cor- 

 rect theory with regard to it : and it may also be a fact of similar 

 importance, that this polish does not extend over the whole wall 

 or area, but is distributed over it in parts and sections, often dis- 

 appearing suddenly, and re-appearing again, even where the char- 

 acter and exposure of the rock are the same, and unbroken. In 

 general the parts and points most projecting and exposed, bear the 

 highest polish, which would naturally be the case whether it was 

 produced by ignition or by the action of the air and sun. It 



Vol. XXXVIII, No. 1.— Oct.-Dec. 1839. 19 



