2o6 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



the White Mountains on the north, extending as far as Woodstock in the 

 valley; on the north-east by the Lake district, which extends close to the 

 Pemigewasset in Ashland ; on the east by the coast slope ; slightly on the 

 south-east and entirely on the south by Massachusetts ; on the west by 

 the Connecticut valley district, or, more exactly, the eastern boundary of 

 the Coos quartzite. It may well represent the average physical appear- 

 ance of New Hampshire, consisting of numerous hills and mountains, 

 mostly cultivable, interspersed with sandy plains, alluvial flats, and entirely 

 underlaid by gneissic or granitic rocks. It is much the largest of the 

 topographical districts. There are only two marked topographical divi- 

 sions of this tract, — the double mountainous range along the western 

 borders, and the Merrimack valley. 



The more western of the two ranges along the western border has been 

 referred to in the description of the first district. More particularly, it 

 may be said to follow the line of division between the two districts. It 

 commences in the east part of Piermont as Iron and Piermont mountains. 

 It is the Cuba mountain range in Orford, Smart's mountain in Lyme, 

 Moose mountain in Hanover, Grantham and Croydon mountains between 

 Plainfield and Newport, Perry's mountain between Charlestown and Unity. 

 It is wanting in much of Charlestown, Langdon, and the neighborhood 

 of Bellows Falls. Between Walpole and Hinsdale there is a series of 

 hills, mostly unnamed, which mark the line, though some of them are 

 covered by slate. 



From Warren to Plymouth, Baker's river has cut through the range 

 transversely. Webster Slide and Mist mountains are continuous with 

 Iron mountain. The valley between the two ranges commences east of 

 Piermont mountain, bordered easterly by Ore hill, Warren, the water 

 flowing northerly. In the same depression Pond brook rises, flowing to 

 the south-east to join Baker's river. Other tributaries flow in the same 

 direction in Wentworth. The depression is again markedly manifest in 

 Dorchester, having Smart's mountain range on the west, and the Groton 

 hills on the east. It is more pronounced still in Canaan, Enfield, and the 

 east part of Hanover. The quartz range is broken first in Lyme, and 

 more markedly by the outlet of Mascomy lake in East Lebanon. The 

 lowland water-shed between the Mascomy and Sugar rivers lies in the 

 swampy district near the south line of Enfield. The Croydon range 



