56. SURFACE GEOLOGY. 
kame (p. 48); and on the south side an interesting series of secondary 
terraces, left as bench-marks of its progress in excavating the basin. 
The view of New Hampshire from Brattleborough is similar to that 
from Bellows Falls. At both these places, the largest towns in Vermont 
on this river, its eastern shore is an abrupt mountain wall, against which 
no terraces or only scanty remnants are found. Wantastiquit or West 
River mountain extends nearly four miles, with about equal portions in 
Chesterfield and Hinsdale, and rises to an altitude about 1,200 feet above 
the sea. The lowest point of water-shed at the east, near the head of 
Catsbane brook, is by estimate 650 feet above the sea, or about 200 feet 
above the highest portion of the Hinsdale plain. 
South-east and south from this mountain is the most extensive plain 
on this river in New Hampshire or Vermont, being three miles long, 
with a width decreasing from two miles to two thirds of a mile. The 
road from Hinsdale to Brattleborough passes over the south end of this 
plain, Here its height is 350 feet above the sea, or 165 above the Con- 
necticut at the mouth of Ashuelot river. It is mainly composed of sand, 
nearly level, but with a slight slope to the west and south, being as usual 
towards the river and in the direction of its course, Its extremity, three 
: SPOS aa) pe ' 
& tgfe2agt Fe ¢ ge Tite 
mn aMS FQUresy a a * oy 500 
Fig. 16.—SECTION IN VERNON AND Hee, Leer, 3 miles. 
fourths of a mile south-west from this road, is twenty feet lower. North- 
ward, its west edge is about 340 and its east side probably as high as 380 
feet above the sea, Its northern portion changes to gravel, which be- 
comes coarse on the south-east side of Wantastiquit, containing pebbles 
one foot or sometimes a foot and a half in diameter. The position and 
slope of this plain show that it was not deposited wholly from currents of 
the main valley ; evidently a considerable portion was contributed from 
the melting of the ice-sheet east of Wantastiquit mountain. 
Extensive sand-drifts or dunes blown from this plain occur on the hills 
at its east side for a mile and a half north from Hinsdale village. The 
