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GEOLOGY OF THE SECOND DISTRICT. 
The scenery from its summit is of the boldest kind. The height of Nipple-top is not far 
from five thousand feet. It is composed of hypersthene rock, and many fine specimens of 
labradorite occur in rolled masses in the streams which flow down its sides. Bald mountain, 
upon the lake, can be clearly distinguished, and this lies nearly in a straight line between 
Mount Marcy and the former ; and hence it forms a commanding position, and would be an 
important point in a trigonometric survey of the northern counties. 
Bald mountain, upon the lake, is brought into view, in consequence of a depression in the 
West-Moriah range, directly in this line. This is an important fact, and will greatly facilitate 
the surveys of this region which will one day be had; and I may here observe, that such a 
work will be greatly aided by obtaining base lines upon the lakes when first frozen at the 
setting in of winter, when the surface is nearly level. A base line may be first obtained upon 
Lake Champlain ; and afterward those errors which may arise may be corrected by subordi¬ 
nate lines, if necessary, upon the lakes in the interior, as some of the higher summits of the 
mountains are in full view from them. 
Whiteface, in Wilmington, is the most northern of all the high mountains in the State. 
It is about five thousand feet high, and very steep and abrupt upon all sides. It rises imme¬ 
diately from Lake Placid, with a steep slope almost from the eastern border of the lake. 
This mountain is distinguished for its insulated position, and has received its name from a 
slide which is known to have taken place about thirty-five years ago ; it commenced within a 
few rods of the summit, and swept the entire length of the western slope. At a distance, 
the mountain has a greyish white appearance towards the top. Whiteface furnishes a greater 
extent of surface upon its top than any other mountain of the northern counties ; and hence, 
as a botanical field, will exceed the other summits for yielding a harvest of alpine plants. 
From its position, it forms another point which would be important in conducting a topogra¬ 
phical survey. Nipple-top is nearly due south, and Mount Marcy is south about ten degrees 
west, in the centre of the sharp-peaked Adirondacks. To the west, a multitude of lakes in 
the Saranac country give a most picturesque landscape, composed as it is of dark moun¬ 
tains, silvery sheets of water, and fine purple skies. To the east is Lake Champlain, and 
the whole range of the Green mountains of Vermont, with their gentle verdant slopes diver¬ 
sified by woodland and cultivated fields, the whole forming a semi-panoramic view exceed¬ 
ingly rich and beautiful. To the north, we overlook the northern slope of the great uplift; 
and beyond is the level of Canada, appearing one uniform spread of forest, without a lake, 
or scarcely a cultivated field, and only three or four insulated blue mountains in the direction 
of Chambly. This mountain, it will be observed, is an interesting eminence in consequence 
of its position ; standing out by itself from the great cluster of mountains, it overlooks on all 
sides the surrounding country far and near, and hence is probably the most important one to 
visit in the whole region. The summit forms a circular sweep for more than a mile to the 
north, the highest point being at the southern extremity of this ridge. On most of these 
mountains, the surface forming the summits is extremely limited. The extent of Nipple-top 
has already been spoken of: it furnishes only two or three alpine plants, though it has the 
altitude of Whiteface ; while the latter furnishes numerous species, which will, without doubt, 
be increased by careful search among the rocks of its summit. 
