84/ Sketch of the Mineralogy 



into the harbor. On the north and north-east, the con- 

 nection of the plain country with the heights is uninter- 

 rupted by water, except that the morass, called the Beaver 

 Ponds, breaks the continuity of the plain, about half a 

 mile from the high ground on the north-west. 



The plain country, of which I have now given a sketch, 

 presents very little which is interesting to a mineralogist. 

 It is not quite uniformly level, but slopes somewhat to- 

 wards the harbor, and towards the rivers ; and there are 

 a few depressions which may be denominated vallies. — 

 The inequalities of its surface are, however, no where 

 so great, as to militate seriously against the idea, that it 

 is principally an alluvial country. The conclusion is un- 

 doubtedly a correct one, that plain countries have gene- 

 rally been formed, or at least greatly extended, by the 

 demolition of hills and mountains, caused by the long 

 continued operation of frost and wind, rain, heat, and 

 other similar causes, usually described under the com- 

 prehensive, although indefinite appellation of the ele- 

 ments. It is, however, only in Alpine countries, where 

 the mountains rise to a stupendous height, and are ex- 

 posed to the full fury of the storms, that one can expect 

 to see the truth of this idea confirmed before his eyes, by 

 the deep channels which a tempest of a few hours con- 

 tinuance will produce, "and the great accumulation of 

 stones, gravel and earth which are suddenly precipitated 

 to the plains, and spread out over their surface. But, it 

 is nevertheless true, that even in a country like that 

 which M^e inhabit, the same causes are at work, and have 

 been, since the creation. Their operation is less obvi- 

 ous, but not less certain, and there can be no doubt that 

 the hills of New- Haven, as well as the Alps, the Appen- 

 nines, the Pyrennees and the Andes, are v/earing away 

 by the friction of time. By the disintegration even of 

 their firmest materials, they are suffering a real and in- 

 creasing degradation, and in the same degree, do the 

 plains and vallies below, acquire successive strata by the 

 accumulation of their spoils. Indeed, we are not entire- 

 ly without evidence on this point in the particular case 

 now before us. After torrents of rain, we can, in many 

 instances, perceive masses of gravel and earth, which 



