GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



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by the Juniata, at the Long Narrows below Huntingdon ; 

 and thence it pursues its way fifteen miles further in the 

 same course. The northen ridge, called in different 

 localities Path mountain, Stony mountain, and other 

 names, ranges almost entirely from the river Susque- 

 hanna to the Juniata, a space of sixty-five miles, then 

 resuming its course after passing that river, it stretches 

 uninterruptedly for a like distance to the states of Ma- 

 ryland and Virginia. 



There is very little difference in the elevation of these 

 singularly prolonged and uniform ridges. When clothed 

 with the deciduous vegetation of summer, and probably 

 under any circumstance except while they are covered 

 with snow, nothing peculiar would be observed in the 

 aspect of their slopes into the valley we are describing. 

 Under the latter circumstances the traveller is struck, 

 when viewing it from the central road by which it is 

 crossed, with the appearance of a singular dark, horizon- 

 tal, level line, running longitudinally along the southern 

 slope of Path mountain, at about two thirds of its height, 

 or about three hundred feet below the crest of that ridge. 

 On turning himself towards the opposite side of the 

 valley, he distinctly observes a corresponding line stretch- 

 ing as far as the eye can discern, both up and down the 

 valley, until it becomes a mere slender thread, finally 

 vanishing in the distant perspective. On nearer inves- 

 tigation, he will ascertain that this remarkable, this long, 

 dark and apparently thin line is rendered distinguish- 

 able by a zone of pine trees, occupying an elevated hor- 

 izontal shelf or bench of table land. The number and 

 thick growth of evergreens in such a position, particu- 

 larly when viewed nearly on a level with the observer's 

 eye, is thus strongly contrasted with the snow covered 

 sides and thinly scattered vegetation of the rocky slopes 

 both above and below. From the level of the bench 

 downwards, the mountain is furrowed by innumerable 



