442 
[Assembly 
about the sources of the Conewango is extremely level, giving rise to 
extensive swamps. 
South of the village of Lodi, and between the Cattaraugus creek 
and the Conewango, the side of this valley exhibits numerous terraces 
in the alluvium, proving the former elevations of the lake, which has 
been finally drained, leaving indications of its former existence in the 
swamps just mentioned. 
The facts here stated regarding these valleys, are such as should be 
expected, when we take into consideration the condition of this conti- 
nent as it emerged from the ocean, or was deluged by a mighty wave. 
The water would flow off rapidly in every direction, till it fell below the 
barrier, which on every side confined it. Even above this point, how- 
ever, there may have been places so surrounded, as to have retained 
the water at much greater elevations. These would form elevated 
lakes, which from time to time have burst their barriers, and swept 
over the country below ; or by a gentle and gradual drainage have 
formed those deep ravines, through some of which still winds an insig- 
nificant stream, the only representation of its former grandeur. From 
time to time the great inland sea found new outlets, which drained off 
a portion of its waters, changing the surface of the country, and de- 
luging whole tracts with alluvial matter carried down by its resistless 
torrent. 
From what has been said regarding the ancient direction of the wa- 
ters, we are prepared to find the alluvial soil composed of northern ma- 
terials. The current of which we have every where abundant evi- 
dence, traversing the country from north to south, breaking up the strata 
and carrying forward their materials in its course, deposited the debris 
in the state of boulders, pebbles and sand, in everyplace where it pass- 
ed. 
As this wave excavated deep valleys, and left large portions in the 
form of hills, the materials were deposited at the lower levels by the 
more gentle currents which followed the first. Thus we find that the 
valleys, and hill sides to a certain elevation, are covered often to great 
depth, with a soil of foreign materials. These may be traced to rocks 
in place farther north ; limestones of the northern counties, and grani- 
tic rocks from Canada, worn and rounded, and mixed with all the in- 
tervening ones on their southern course. Sometimes the deposits are 
