Geology, ^c. of the Connecticut, & 



hills of Long Island.* On either side of the harbour the 

 country gently rises into hills of moderate elevation, and 

 is pleasantly diversified with cultivated and uncultivated 

 patches ; and often the neat mansion is seen half covered 

 by the trees. 



East and West Rock become interesting objects to the 

 students of Yale College, being associated with a thousand 

 grateful recollections. To these cliffs they often resort in 

 the hour of relaxation, to enjoy the pleasures of a rich and 

 diversified landscape, to study the geology of the trap 

 rocks and to breathe the serener and more bracing moun- 

 tain air. Who of them, while standing there, and seeing the 

 white crested waves breaking on the rocky shore, will not 

 remember the ill omened cliffs of Kinsale. 



Prospect Hill, East-Haven. 



Professor Silliman led me to the top of this beautiful 

 greenstone hill, which rises scarcely an hundred feet above 

 the harbour ; but, from its top, the prospect is extremely 

 interesting. New-Haven is presented to you in a direction 

 nearly opposite to that in which it is seen from East or 

 West Rock ; and the view is, in some respects, superior. 

 East and West Rock, seen from this hill, are themselves 

 striking objects in the rear of the city ; constituting the most 

 prominent part of that amphitheatre of hills, which almost 

 encloses New-Haven. Still further back, mount Carmel 

 and the Berlin mountains may be seen as you look up the 

 valley of W^allingford River ; and other mountains beyond 

 these till they insensibly mingle with the heavens. Directly 

 in front of the observer, on the west, is Mew-Haven harbour; 

 and a fine opportunity is afforded for witnessing the ar- 



* A few years since, as 1 was crossing the salt marsh at the foot of East 

 Rook, in company with Doct^ A. Monson, I observed, on looking towards 

 Long Island, an uncommon instance oi refraction. The shore of that island 

 appeared seyeral degrees higher than usual and uncommonly distinct. In- 

 deed, its altitude seemed as great, as it did a few days previous, when I hap- 

 pened to be sailing within two or three miles of it. It was about noon whea 

 this phenomenon was noticed in a clear very hot day of July ; the ther-. 

 mometer standing but little below 90". Did the rapid evaporation produce 

 «a great a degree of cold, and consequent condensation of the air near thp 

 surface of the water, as to cause this extraordinary refraction ; 



