IN MASSACHUSETTS AND VERMONT. 133 



hundred feet higher than the Chalet, which is 3500 feet above Chamouny, and 

 6925 feet above the ocean. This is much above existing glaciers in that vicinity. 

 The striae appeared to be directed down the valley of the Arve, and I could not 

 doubt that this valley was once filled by a glacier to the height of nearly 4000 

 feet, which has entirely disappeared. 



In passing from Chamouny to Martigny, through the Pass of Tete Noire, in the 

 wild gorge that crosses the dividing ridge between the Arve and the Rhone, I 

 noticed, several hundred feet above the gorge, which is 4200 feet above the ocean, 

 distinct marks of a glacier that once descended towards the Rhone. The smoothed 

 and striated wall must be over 5000 feet above the ocean. 



On the way from Martigny to lake Leman, down the valley of the Rhone, 

 although the mountains on either side are bold and rocky, I did not notice such 

 distinct traces of glacial action as in the higher Alps. Yet in several places, 

 especially where the ledges crowd into the valley so as to form gorges, they are 

 rounded and furrowed. Some distance before reaching St. Maurice, I never saw so 

 distinct examples of embossed rocks, and on them we can see distinctly that the 

 abrading force was directed down the valley, since the most distinctly rounded 

 side — the stoss side — of the embossed masses, faces up the valley. It seems as if 

 we hardly needed stronger proof of an ancient glacier descending this valley. 



I had no opportunity to trace the ancient glaciers of the Alps across the great 

 valley of Switzerland to the Jura chain, as Professor Guyot has done. It did, 

 however, appear to me, that for the most part the drift in that valley is modified 

 drift; that is, has been comminuted and rearranged since it was originally pro- 

 duced by the glaciers. I feel quite sure that the terraces around lake Zurich and 

 Lucerne, and along the Rhine, the Aar, and the Arve, lie above the drift and have 

 been formed by the drainage of the country. Hence I infer that this valley, cer- 

 tainly as high as 2000 feet above the ocean, has been under water since the period 

 of some of these ancient glaciers. If so, what else could such a body of water be, 

 but the ocean ? 



Marks of ancient glaciers have been looked for in this country for a long period 

 with deep interest : I mean, marks in distinction from those of drift, waiving the 

 question whether the latter has originated from glaciers. I have never visited 

 the culminating points of our country without an eye open for such phenomena. 

 But until lately without success. I had supposed, however, and perhaps others 

 have done the same, that the most probable place for such marks was among the 

 White mountains of New Hampshire. Nor can I doubt that glaciers once existed 

 there. But the nature of the rock is not well adapted to retain the traces either 

 of these or of drift agency. It seems probable, moreover, that the ocean has stood 

 above our continent since the glacier period, and the drainage has obscured the traces 

 of glaciers, not merely by erosion, but by modifying the moraines. I apprehend, 

 indeed, that this has been a chief reason, all over our country, why it has been, so 

 difficult to trace out the marks of glacier agency. I would not be absolutely cer- 

 tain that I have overcome this difficulty. Yet I have now discovered so many 

 examples, not only of embossed and striated rocks, but of detrital accumulations, 

 which I cannot refer to the drift agency, that I cannot resist the conviction that 



