TOPOGRAPHY. 



209 



Mt. Monadnock is usually described as an isolated peak rising out of a 

 plateau, having the altitude of 3,186 feet; while the plain will average 

 from 1,000 to 1,200 feet, including the towns of Jaffrey, Sharon, Fitzwil- 

 liam. New Ipswich, and others. While this is generally correct, it should 

 be modified so that it be understood to be part of the principal backbone 

 of the state, and the culminating peak of the southern part of the range. 

 There are geological reasons for explaining its isolated position, which 

 will be mentioned hereafter. The Pack Monadnock range is really a part 

 of the Monadnock group. The Contoocook river, with its Harrisville 

 branch, has excavated a deep channel through the Monadnock plateau, 

 sinking northerly. Consequently there are left high hills to the west, as 

 in Nelson and Hancock, Bald, Willard, and Robb mountains in Antrim, 

 etc. On the east is the more important range of hills in the west part 

 of Deering, Crotchet mountain in Francestown, Pinnacle mountain in 

 Lyndeborough, Pack Monadnock in Peterborough and Temple, Temple, 

 Kidder, and Barrett's mountains in Temple and New Ipswich. This is 

 now the main range, having come from a direction east of north to join 

 the Monadnock water-shed. It continues southerly into Massachusetts, 

 viz., Watatic mountain in Ashburnham, Wachusett, 2,018 feet, in Prince- 

 ton; and so on southerly through the central part of the state. The 

 White Mountain range, therefore, when correctly followed, does not 

 pass into the Connecticut valley Trap mountains, as maintained by some 

 authors. 



Heights along the Principal Water-shed of New Hampshire. The 

 main water-shed of New Hampshire runs nearly parallel to Connecticut 

 river, and in fact forms the eastern rim of that hydrographic basin. 

 It is of special importance to one studying the topography of the state, 

 and for that reason is given here as fully as possible. 



From near the north corner of the state to Mt. Washington, this line 

 skirts the Androscoggin basin. It borders the Saco waters only from 

 Mt. Washington to Mt. Field. From here to Massachusetts the line 

 agrees with the west border of the Merrimack system. The line may be 

 divided into three sections : First, averaging 2,000 feet elevation to the 

 base of Mt. Madison. Second, the White Mountain division from Madi- 

 son to Moosilauke, averaging nearly 4,000 feet. Third, the portion from 

 Warren to Massachusetts, averaging about 1,500 feet. The lowest point 



VOL. I. 29 



