6 
GEOLOGY OF THE FIRST DISTRICT. 
mountains. This fact may be seen well illustrated about two miles from Salem, on the road 
to Cambridge, where the alluvions of Black creek and White creek mingle with that of the 
Batten kill; and it was observed that the alluvion of this last stream was much less produc¬ 
tive than the others, although at a little distance they appeared to be as good lands. 
The alluvions of Wood creek are very productive, but have little extent above its delta in 
Lake Champlain. They are derived from slate, limestone, sandstone, granitic and gneissoid 
rocks, and the soils resulting might be inferred to be highly productive. The alluvion of the 
valley at the junction of Pawlet river with Wood creek, has a width of a mile, and in several 
places on these streams it has a breadth of one-half mile. 
Whitehall is usually called the head of Lake Champlain, but the lake for fifteen miles is 
rarely more than one hundred to one hundred and fifty yards wide. It is in fact a mere 
channel between mud-flats of clayey alluvion, that form the delta of Wood creek, Pawlet 
river and Poulteny river.* In several places the channel is divided into two or three, by allu¬ 
vial ooze islands and shoals of recent origin. They are generally covered only by aquatic 
plants, as rushes, flags, lily pads, wild rice, coarse grass, bushes and small trees. One of the 
marshes is called Twelve-mile marsh, in consequence of its length, extending from South 
bay twelve miles down the lake. This marsh has the same vegetable covering as the islands 
above described, except that bushes and trees are rarely seen. 
The lake is skirted in many places between Whitehall and the north end of Twelve-mile 
marsh, by a clay formation similar to that of the Hudson valley. This formation is elevated 
from thirty to sixty feet above the lake, and a small portion of the alluvion of this part of the 
lake is derived from the wash of the rivulets, and encroachment of the lake on this formation; 
but the effects produced by these causes are small indeed, when compared with the earthy 
materials brought down by Wood, Pawlet and Poulteny creeks. From Whitehall to near the 
end of Twelve-mile marsh, the channel of the lake is not generally more than one hundred 
yards wide, and a sensible current flows through it. The channel is bounded on each side 
for a great portion of this distance by mud-flats and marshes that are often overflowed, either 
in consequence of freshets in the creeks mentioned, or of strong or long continued north 
winds, which raise the water at the south end of the lake. The channel may be considered 
as ap extension of Wood creek flowing through its delta. 
Some of the alluvial flats and marshes of this part of Lake Champlain are already used 
for grazing cattle, and a coarse hay is cut on some others. It is believed that many of these 
lands will, before many years, be diked out to guard against their being overflowed, and then 
they will make most highly productive lands for tillage and hay.f 
It is well known that large portions of Holland are thus redeemed from the dominion of the 
sea. Small tracts of a few hundred to a few thousand acres have also been diked out on our 
* These rivers are not of such size as to justify the name; they are creeks, from one to four or five rods wide, 
t A strong north wind, or a more moderate one of some days’ continuance, raises the water a foot or more above its medium 
level; and one from the opposite point of the compass would depress it as much below its medium level, so that dykes are ne¬ 
cessary to protect the flats from occasional inundation. 
