44 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



the western bank and the Adirondacks covering the territory be- 

 tween the St Lawrence and Champlain valleys. Beyond this 

 eastern wall the true mountain chains cease. The surface of the 

 western portion of the Appalachian plateau is deeply indented 

 by valleys with their bottoms generally several hundred feet below 

 the common level and separated by high ridges. The deep trans- 

 verse cut forming the valley of the Mohawk river and Oneida lake 

 and opening a channel from the low lake region to the Hudson 

 river, thus dividing the main plateau into two distinct masses, is 

 not the least remarkable feature. It was the possession of this 

 mountain pass, with broad level valleys in either direction, which 

 made Xew York State the original highway from the east to the 

 west. 



Rivers and lakes of Adirondack plateau. From the Adiron- 

 dack plateau streams flow to the north, southeast and west. The 

 principal streams flowing north, east and west to the St Law- 

 rence system are Moose, Beaver, Oswegatchie, Grasse, Raquette, 

 St Regis, Salmon, Saranac, Ausable. and Bouquet rivers. The 

 southern streams, which all belong to the Hudson system, are 

 Sacandaga, Indian, Cedar, Opalescent, Boreas, and Schroon . 

 rivers, and East Canada and West Canada creeks. All these 

 streams head in lakes, of which the most important, tributary to 

 the St Lawrence, are Placid, Saranac, St Regis, Loon, Rainbow, 

 Osgood, Meacham, Massawepie, Cranberry, Tupper, Smiths, 

 Albany, Red Horse Chain, Beaver, Brandreth, Bog River Chain, 

 Big Moose, Fulton Chain, Woodhull. Bisby. Raquette, and Blue 

 Mountain. 



Following are the principal lakes of the Adirondack plateau 

 tributary to the Hudson system : Pleasant, Piseco, Oxbow, Sacan- 

 daga, Elm, Morehouse, Honnedaga, West Canada, Wilmurt, Sal- 

 mon. Spruce. Cedar. Lewev, Indian. Rock, Chain, Catlin, Rich, 

 Harris, Newcomb, Thirteenth, Henderson, Sanford, Colden, 

 Boreas, Elk, Paradox. Brant, Schroon, and Luzerne. There are 

 a number of other lakes in New York, as Chautauqua, Conesus, 

 Hemlock. Iloneoye. the Finger Lakes. Onondaga. Oneida and 

 others. 



