EESURMECTION OF THE CONTINENT. 220 



CHAPTER XXI. 



EESUERECTION OF THE CONTINENT. 



TT seemed like a failure of the plan of creation. The 

 -*- land gained by unnumbered throes of the continent was 

 lost. The higher summits only held their heads above the 

 level of the careering waves. Deposits bearing the marks 

 of oceanic action reach to an elevation of six thousand feet 

 on Mount Washington, two thousand or more on the Green 

 Mountains, and three thousand on Monadnock. But this 

 deep submergence was not of long continuance. Slowly 

 the continent rose again from its deep sea-burial. As sum- 

 mit after summit lifted its gravel-covered brow above the 

 sea, the retiring waves, lingering, dallied with the pebbles 

 on the widening beach. As the continent rose, every inch 

 became, in succession, the ocean shore, and was subjected 

 to the assorting action of the waters. As a consequence, 

 the finer materials were left upon the surface, and a most 

 suitable substratum for the soil was thus provided. Dur- 

 ing the preceding epoch, Nature robbed the Northern 

 States of their finer material for the benefit of the South- 

 ern. Now she made amends by raking up the deep de- 

 posits, and selecting and strewing over the surface a new 

 supply of finer detritus for the benefit of the Northern 

 States. 



Before the resurrection was completed, Nature made 

 several pauses in her work, and the sea was permitted to 

 stand, perhaps for ages, over districts that had been marked 

 out as the dwelling-place for man. The first pause occurred 

 when the waters still stood four hundred feet above their 



