TOPOGRAPHY. I71 



side of the Connecticut there is a similar elevated country, constituting 

 the sparsely settled district of Essex county, Vt. In mineral features 

 this is like the White Mountains, and should properly belong to New- 

 Hampshire, if the boundary line between us and Vermont were at all sym- 

 metrical. As it is topographically connected with our state, I shall take 

 occasion to refer to it often, and to describe it, so far as may be practica- 

 ble, considering its extra-limital position, and the scantiness of our 

 information concerning it. Our survey has done something towards its 

 exploration, though by no means so fully as is desirable. 



The area of our field of exploration may be divided into six districts, 

 each of which will be described in detail. They are the topographical 

 divisions that suggest themselves most naturally. 



1. Hydrographic basin of the Connecticut river, leaving the main valley 

 at Barnet, and continuing up the Passumpsic to its source. 



2. Hilly district of the principal portions of Coos county, N. H., and 

 Essex county, Vt. 



3. White Mountain area. 



4. Winnipiseogee Lake basin. 



5. Merrimack River basin, wedging into the White Mountain area. 



6. The Atlantic slope in Strafford and Rockingham, counties. 



These districts present themselves forcibly to the eye upon the accom- 

 panying map. 



Before describing these topographical areas, it will be well to under- 

 stand what are the artificial boundaries of New Hampshire. 



The Northern Boundary. 



The northern boundary of the state has been more carefully measured 

 than any other, having been surveyed under orders from the United 

 States government, for the purpose of marking the line of division 

 between New Hampshire and Canada, in accordance with the treaty of 

 Washington bearing date of August 9, 1842. It is needless here to 

 state the particulars of the controversy which led the conimissioners to 

 fix upon the present as the proper boundary line. The two countries 

 were much excited previous to the decision, so much so as to talk of 

 settUng the dispute by fighting. An elegant series of maps, upon the 

 scale of one mile to two inches, of the country from the head of the 



