No. 200.] 
247 
was found to be 7° 18'. The next observation was made at Weather- 
head^s inn, in West Moriah: variation, 7° 1'. 
By comparing these results, it will be perceived that the variation in- 
creases from Crown Point to Moriah Four Corners, and from thence de- 
craeses to Weatherhead's, estimated at about 13 miles west of the Cor- 
ners; so small a number of miles occasioning a deviation of 3° 9'. It 
will be perceived, also, that at East Moriah (Four Corners) the varia- 
tion is greater than is due to the general influence of the earth. We 
should be led, therefore, to infer the existence of some cause of local 
attraction between Weatherhead^s and the Corners, and probably in the 
vicinity of the latter place, as the variation at Weatherhead's is nearly 
that which is due to the earth's influence, on that meridian. 
Such a cause actually exists, in those extensive ore beds which have 
been opened at no great distance from the Corners, in a direction N. W. 
These, doubtless, exist beneath the surface in a direction west, and are 
quite sufficient to account for the deflection of the needle, already men- 
tioned. 
The inn of Weatherhead, in West Moriah, stands on a plain, small, 
but strikingly characterized by the bold and uncommon outline of those 
mountainous masses, along the eastern skirt of which this plain extends. 
One of these mountains attains to an elevation of between four and five 
thousand feet above the plain; the plain itself, as indicated by the baro- 
meter, being about 1,117 feet above Lake Champlain. This mountain, 
we ascertained by^the theodolite to rank second in height to none in the 
State, with the exception of Mount Marcy.* 
Finding the needle to assume nearly a neutral position on the plain 
just described, we were anxious to penetrate still further into the interi- 
or. Entering the woods, accordingly, and proceeding about nine miles, 
we made another observation, and found the variation W. 8° 16'. Here 
we employed packmen, with a view to visit a mountain,t which rose 
from the forest many miles north, and which appeared to be among the 
highest of the group. After encamping out two nights, we reached the 
summit of this mountain, on the morning of the third day. The clouds 
which enveloped its sides, at an early hour, happily melted away just 
at the time of our arrival, giving us an opportunity for an observa- 
tion on the sun. Wishing to obtain the bearing of the more important 
mountains in the vicinity, we watched, with an interest, in which it is 
difficult to say, whether our love of science or admiration of the intrin- 
* Dix'a Peak. 
t Did Mountain. 
