peak rising up suddenly from the ridge, of towards 80 feet in height; but is so steep that we were obliged to assist one another in climbing. We would help one person up a perpendicular shelf, then pass all our baggage, and finally be pulled up one by one. Having gained the top, we found ourselves upon the ridge constituting the highland of the mountain. Its top is undulating, there being several "chimneys" to pass over before finally arriving at the very highest point. We travelled at least three-fourths of a mile along a very narrow ridge, whose top was often only a foot wide, while on both sides of us we could look down for 3,000 feet over precipices too steep to be descended with safety. So awe-inspiring was the sight that some of the party crawled upon their hands and knees over a large part of the distance. We never imagined that in our New England mountains, localities could be found so nearly resembling the peaks and ridges of the Andes. Instantly the idea occurred to us that such a narrow ridge could never have been shaped by drift action. Its sides are covered with those loose angular blocks which frost has removed from the ledges but drift has never transported; precisely like the fragments upon the top of Mount Washington above the drift region. We searched in vain over all the top of Mount Katahdin for any signs of drift action. There are no striæ upon the ledges, no smoothing or rounding of the rocks, and no transported boulders anywhere upon the summit. This view is strengthened by the fact that there are no transported rocks in the Basin, into which an innumerable quantity of boulders would have been hurled if the drift agency had ever crossed the summit.

Only one feature appeared favorable to the view that the drift passed over the top. The whole of the north-west side of the summit appears like one great stoss side, while the lee side is very ragged, just as would be the case if the ice went over the top. But in answer to this it may be said, this apparent stoss side is only the natural shape of the mountain, and its position accidental. This view is partially confirmed by the fact that for a great distance from the summit on the north-west slope no ledges can be seen, only the fragments which have been loosened by frost. Generally, when ledges have been struck by drift, even if the scratches are obliterated, the rocks are not so thoroughly split up by frost but that the rounded ledges remain very slightly affected. This is certainly the case upon Mount Washington. The drift force seems

often to have been strong enough to remove all the loose and permanent parts of ledges, leaving the solid foundations so firmly rooted that all atmospheric agencies have not yet had time enough to break them up. We are fully satisfied that a large part of the Katahdin summits have never been swept over by drift, even if we must believe that the highest portion has been struck.

We should not have expressed any doubt as to the freedom of the summit from drift action, if Dr. Jackson had not expressed the opinion twenty years ago that the drift had passed over the summit. We suppose that he must have found some evidence which escaped our notice, although he has given us in his report none of the reasons for his opinions. We quote his remarks on the subject. He ascended the mountain from the west side, in the same path climbed by Mr. Houghton. He says, "Along the whole course of the slide, we found an abundance of rounded diluvial boulders of grauwacke, and compact limestone, filled with impressions of marine shells, showing that the diluvial current once passed over the summit of this lofty mountain." If we understand both Mr. Houghton's and Dr. Jackson's reports, this slide is at the west end of the socalled table land, three miles from the top, and the top of the slide according to Mr. Vose's careful measurements, is only 3,000 feet high, or at least 2,000 feet below the summit. It is not then to be inferred from the fact of the existence of the boulders in the slide, that the current passed over the mountain. As already intimated, the occurrence of these fossiliferous boulders on the slides of the west and south sides of the mountain, and not on the top, shows that the transporting current did not cover the mountain; at least not sufficiently to grind down the rocks as it has done upon lower peaks.*

The granite on top of the mountain is red. The same division of the rock into plates is observed here that we saw on the horseback. They run north 30 degrees east, and dip 65 degrees southeasterly. The red granite caps the white colored rock, very much as one sedimentary rock upon a conical peak caps another of different composition. The mountain, according to the best observation,

*From information received since the report was in print, we have reason to believe that we are in error respecting the distance of the slide from the top of the mountain. If the fossiliferous boulders occur near the summit, it is evident that the drift current transported them there. Still the occurrence of a few boulders near the summit will not invalidate our general conclusion.

is 5,385 feet above the ocean, or a little more than a mile high. We regret much that Mr. Vose's Barometer was accidentally broken near the top of the mountain, before he could make any observations with it.

The general course of the ridge composing the top of Mount Katahdin, as seen from the summit, is that of nearly a complete circle, which is broken on one side. The interior of this arc is called the Basin, and is a beautiful hollow 3,000 feet deep, on one side of which is a pond, directly under the chimney, and for this reason called Chimney Pond. The ridge and the basin together may be compared to a vast crater, only there is no evidence here of the former existence of a volcano. The highest point of the mountain rises quite gradually for a long distance on the west side, hence it has been called a table land: but it is not like the true table lands of South America. It may be called by this name in a loose way, to show that the ascent near the summit is gradual. The west and north sides of this arc of mountains are very much wider than the south-eastern portions.

There are several very prominent peaks upon this curved ridge, only two of which have received distinct names. One is the chimney, which is very insignificant when compared with the nameless peaks, and the other is the highest point, which is Katahdin. There is a very high peak north-east of Katahdin, near the north-east end of the ridge, which has a very broad sloping summit. As this has no name, we venture to suggest that it be called Mount Pomola, from the name of the Indian Deity of the Mountains. The Indians formerly supposed that Pomola would be very angry if any person attempted to climb the mountain; hence, like Mt. Washington, the top of Katahdin was considered sacred. The Indian with Dr. Jackson, when he visited the mountain 25 years ago, declared Pomola sent the violent snow storm upon him for presuming to measure the height of the mountain.

After having spent a considerable time upon the summit, the reduced state of our provisions warned us that we must depart, and leave the magnificent view spread out before us, to be exposed a long time, perhaps, before another eye would see it. In comparing the scenery with the view from Mount Washington, we must say that there is less grandeur and more beauty in the view from Katahdin. The immense country to the north and south-east, numerously chequered with lakes and ponds, the mountains of

Aroostook county, of the Canadian boundary, of the region of Moosehead Lake, of south-west Maine, and the White Mountains, are all displayed in distinct outline. Those who love the grand and beautiful should not fail to visit Katahdin, especially as they will find peculiarities here not exhibited elsewhere.

We found the descent into the Basin extremely difficult, owing to the "black growth," or an impenetrable thicket of black spruce, growing upon immense angular blocks of granite. We saw at a distance the bed of snow which remains beneath the summit in the Basin all the year round. We camped for the night at Chimney Pond.

We found the road from Chimney Pond to Katahdin Pond extremely difficult to travel. It was only a spotted line, pursuing a straight course to Roaring Brook, regardless of all topographical features. At Katahdin Pond, Mr. Keep found a single fossiliferous boulder like those on the west side of the mountain; but this may have been brought from the north and not over the mountain, since the same boulders have been found further east and south-east, and the distribution of the sandstone belt on the map shows that boulders of it are to be expected east of Katahdin.

The path travelled by us from the Hunt farm to the top of Katahdin was struck out by Mr. Keep, to whom the State donated a quarter of a township in consideration of his services upon the mountain lands. If a good carriage road could be built from the Hunt farm to Chimney Pond in the Basin, and a good foot or bridle path from there to the summit, an immense number of visitors would be attracted to Mt. Katahdin, especially if a Hotel should be built at Chimney Pond, the most romantic spot for a dwelling-house in the whole State. As the roads are now constructed, it is easier for travellers to ascend from the west branch of the Penobscot, because less time is required away from the water. With the roads thus constructed, travellers would hardly know that they were climbing a high mountain. With the present conveniences, lovers of adventure and recreation will find a trip to Mount Katahdin invigorating, and fraught with pleasure.

We camped near Katahdin Pond on the night of the 16th. On the morning of the 17th, finding our provisions exhausted, we examined two woodman's camps and discovered a supply of beans and flour, which we appropriated, to keep us from starving until we should arrive at the Hunt farm again, where the rest of our party

were awaiting our arrival with abundant supplies of fresh salmon and partridges. Early in the afternoon we reached them, considerably exhausted, but rewarded for our exertions by learning that we had completed our tour in the "shortest time on record." After resting over Sunday, we were all ready to pursue our journey up the east branch.

Geology of the East Branch, etc., continued.

On the east bank of the river, just above Mr. Hunt's house, there is a bank of gravel and sand whose strata are inclined at an angle of 25 degrees south, and must have been deposited over a steep slope. Some of the strata are consolidated by a ferruginous cement. At this place we found in boulders of loose sandstone a number of fossils of Lower Devonian type, coming probably from the Devonian rocks above. These boulders are different from those seen on the west side of Mount Katahdin. We suspect the range of mountains west of the East Branch in Nos. 3 and 4, to be composed of trap rock. They have also somewhat of a sandstone aspect.

A short distance above Hunt's farm, in No. 3, the same clay slates that were described below No. 3, occur, running north 10 degrees east, and dipping 80 degrees east. Beyond, the strike is north 20 degrees east, and the dip 78 degrees east. There is a large amount of clay along the river at the mouth of the Seboois. The boulders on the river's banks are now mostly sandstones, conglomerates, honestones and slates, very rarely any of granite. A few miles higher, the granite disappears altogether.

We ascended Lunksoos Mountain on the west side of the river, and found its top to be 1,378 feet above the river, by the Aneroid Barometer. This mountain forms the boundary line between Townships Nos. 3 and 4, and appears to be composed of the same rocks as the range of peaks in No. 3. Lunksoos mountain is entirely composed of trap, a tough variety without any columnar seams. We had a fine view of the country all about this mountain, and in our note book have speculated a considerable about the geological character of the various hills and valleys observed, but will not give these surmises here. We are sure, however, that a mountain five or six miles north-west from Lunksoos, is composed of granite, as we could see the white rocks composing it both from here and Katahdin.

In Number Four of the Seventh Range, the grit rocks dip 60 de