2 Geology and Mineralogy of a part of Massachusetts, dc. 
mountains lies along the boundary between the county of 
Berkshire and the state of New-York. 
The latitude of the county of Berkshire was ascertained 
by Messrs. Ewing, Rittenhouse, and Hutchens, commis- 
sioners appointed to survey the boundary line between the 
states of Massachusetts and New-York. According to 
their Report,* the latitude of the S. W. corner of Massa- 
chusetts is 42° 3’ N., and of the N. W. corner, 42° 44’. 
The course of the boundary line is, according to their re- 
port, N. 15° 12/ 9” E., and the variation of the needle was 
at that time, (July, 1787,) 5° 3’ W. The longitude of 
the N. W. corner is, from late observations, 78° 22! 52.57 
W. from Greenwich, and of the S. W. corner nearly 73° 
44', The above mentioned survey gives the length of the 
county, ‘‘fifty miles, forty-one chains, and seventy-nine 
links.” 
That part of the counties of Hampden, Hampshire, and 
Franklin, contained in this sketch, is very narrow, and ex- 
tends only to that described by Mr. Hitchcock, in the pa- 
pers mentioned above. 
The principal part of the state of New-York, contained 
in this section, is transition; the other part is decidedly 
primitive, except the narrow strip along the Hoosick and 
Housatonick rivers. This section is hilly and mountainous 
High hills or mountains and deep vallies alternately meet 
the eye. The scenery, generally very beautiful, is often 
grand. In the Taconick range, the mountains are more 
elevated at the southwest part of Massachusetts. T'aco- 
nick Mountain, lying on the west of Sheffield, is a huge 
mass of mountains, with two prominent summits ; the high- 
est of which is about 2400 feet above the level of the 
plain. This plain is known, from measurements for the 
contemplated canal along the Housatonick, to be about six 
hundred and fifty feet above tide water.f The mountains of 
the eastern range are more elevated towards the north. The 
* See the certified copy of this Report among the records in the office of 
the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston. From observatiens made to 
ascertain the latitude of Williams College, the latitude of the N. W. corner 
appears to be a little greater than that given in the above report. 
+ The level of the Housatonick at the south line of Massachusetis was 
found to be six hundred and twelve feet above tide water. 
