USA > Vermont > History of Vermont, natural, civil, and statistical, in three parts, with a new map of the state, and 200 engravings > Part 2
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The waters of the lakes, ponds and Otrrams arr universelly soft, miscible with toap, and in general free from foreign substances. " And the same may be said of most of the springs, particularly on the Green Mountains, and in that portion of the state lying east of these mountains. The waters of mnost of the springs and wells in the western part of the state are rendered hard and unsuitable for washing by the lime they hold in solu- tion, and'there are many springs which are highly impregnated with Epsom salts, and others containing iron, sulphuretted hydrogen, &c. These mineral springs will be described in another place.
Lakes and Ponds. Small lakes and ponds are found in all parts of Vermont, but there are no large bodies of water which lie wholly within the state. Lake Champlain lies between this state and the
state of New York, and more than half of it within the limits of Vermont. It ex- tends in a straight line from south to north, 102 miles along the western boun- dary, from Whitehall to the 45th degree of latitude, and thence about 24 miles to St. Johns in Canada, affording an easy communication with that province and with New York. This Jake is connected with Iludson river, at Albany, by a canal 64 miles in length ; so that the towns ly- ing on the shores of Lake Champlain have direct communication by water with the cities of Troy, Albany, Hudson, and New York, and, by means of the great western canal, with the great western lakes. The length of this lake from south to north, measured in a straight line from one extremity to the other, and sup- posing it to terminate northerly at St. Johns, is 126 miles. Its width varies from one fourth of a mile to 13 miles, and the mean width is about 4 miles. This would give an area of 567 square miles, two thirds of which lie within the limits of Vermont. The waters, which this lake receives from Vermont, are drained, by rivers and other streams, from 4088 miles of its territory. Its depth is generally sufficient for the navigation of the largest vessels. It received its present name from Samuel Champlain, a French noble- man, who discovered it in the spring of 1609, and who died at Quebec in 1635, and was not drowned in its waters, as has been often said .* One of the names giv- en to this lake by the aborigines is said to have been Caniaderi- Guarunte, signifying the mouth or door of the country.t If so, it was very appropriate, as it forms the gate-way between the country on the St. Lawrence and that on the Hudson. The name of this lake in the Abenaqui tongue was Pelawa-bouque, signifying alternate land and water, in allusion to the numer- ous islands and projecting points of land along the lake. Previous to the settle- ment of the country by Europeans, this lake had long been the thorough-fare be- tween hostile and powerful Indian tribes, and its shores the scene of many a mortal conflict. And after the settlement, it continued the same in reference to the French and English colonies, and subso- quently in reference to the English in Canada and the United States. In con- sequence of this peculiarity of its loca- tion, the name of Lake Champlain stands connected with some of the most interest- ing events in the annals of our country ; and the transactions associated with the names of Ticonderoga, and Crown Point,
* See Part II, p. 2. +Spafford'sGaz.ofN. Y., p. 98.
6
NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT.
PART 1.
MEMPAREMAGOG LARE.
BAYS, SWAMPS, ISLANDS, SOIL ..
und Plattsburgh, and many other places, united with the variety and beauty of the scenery, the neatness and accommodation of the steamboats, and the unrivalled ex- cellency of their commanders, render a tour through this lake one of the most in- teresting and agreeable to the enlightened traveller. A historical account of the most important transactions upon Lake Champlain, together with some account of the navigation of the lake, and partic- ularly of the steamboats which have been built upon it, will be found in part second, and a much more minute description of the lake under its name in part third.
Memphremagog lake is situated on the north line of the state, and about midway between lake Champlain and Connecticut river. It extends from south to north, and is nearly parallel with lake Cham- plain. It is 30 miles long, and the aver- age width about two miles. One third part of this lake lies in Vermont; the oth- er two thirds in Canada. The name of this lake in the Abeniqui tongue was Mem-plow-buuque, signifying a large ex- panse of water. This, together with nu- merous smak lakes and ponds, which lie wholly within the state, will be described in part third, either under their names, or in the account of the towns in which they are situated, There is abundant evidence that most of our lakes and ponds were formerly much more extensive than they are at present, and that they have been diminished, both by the deposit of carthy anatter brought in by the streams, and by the deepening of the channels at their outlets ; and there is also sufficient proof of the former existence of many ponds in this state, which have long since become dry land by the operation of the same causes. Several of these will be pointed ont in the descriptions of the rivers in part third, particularly in the description of Winooski river, Barton river, &c.
Bays,-The shores of Lake Cham- plain are indented by numerons bays, most of which are small and of little con- sequence. Missisco bay is the largest of these, and belongs principally to Vermont, lying between the townships of Alburgh and Highgate, and extending some dis- tance into Canada. The other bays of most consequence, lying along the east shore of the lake and belonging to Ver- mont, are M'Quam bay in Swanton, Be- Jamaqueen bay lying between St. Albans and Georgia, Mallets bay in Colchester, Burlington bay between Appletree point and Red Rocks point, Shelburne bay be- tween Red Rocks point and Pottier's point, Button bay in Ferrisburgh, and East bay between We: thaven and White-
hall. Besides these there are several smaller bays lying along the east shore of Lake Champlain, and a considerable bay at the south end of Lake Memphremagog, called South bay. Most of these bays will be more particularly described under their names in part third, and also some of the most important bays lying along the west shore of Lake Champlain, and belonging to New York.
Sicamys .- These are hardly of suffi- cient importance to deserve a separate no- tice. Though considerably numerous, they are, in general, of small extent, and, in mieny cases, have been, or may be drained and converted into excellent lands. They are most common in the northern and northeastern parts of the state. In'the county of Essex are several unsettled townships, which are said to be made up of hills and mountains with swamps lying between them, which ren- der them to a great extent incapable of settlement. There is a considerable tract of swampy land at the south end of Mem- phromagog lake, and another in Highgate about the mouth of Missisco river. When the country was new, there were many stagnant coves along the margin and among the islands of Lake Champlain, which, during the hotter parts of the sum- mer, generated intermittent and bilions fevers. But, since the clearing of the country, these have been, to a considera- ble extent, tilled up, and, with the causes which produced them, those disorders have nearly disappeared.
Islands .-- The principal islands be- longing to Vermont, are South Hero, North Hero, and La Motte. South Hero, called also Grand Island, is 13 miles long, and is divided into two townships, by the name of South Hero and Grand Isle. North Hero is about Il miles long, but very narrow, and constitutes a township bearing the same name as the island. Isle la Motte lies westward of North Hero, and constitutes a township by the same name. A more particular account of these islands, and also a description of Juniper island and several others lying in Lake Champlain, will be found under their names in part third.
Soil and Productions .- The soil of Vermont is generally a rich loam, but va- ries considerably according to the nature and compositions of the rocks in the dif- ferent parts of the state. Bordering our lakes, ponds, and rivers, are considerable tracts of rich and beautiful intervale"
* Intervale. This word has not yet found a place in our dictionaries, and there has been much camping about it by Dr. Dwight, Mr. Kendall, and other travelters and erities .. But we use it, notwithstand-
7
DESCRIPTIVE GEOGRAPHIY.
CHAP. 1.
SO11. AND PRODUCTIONS.
MEDICINAL. SPRINGS.
3
lands, which consist of a dark, deep and | the farmer who is saving and industrious fertile alluvial deposit. These intervales seldom fails of having his barn filled with fodder for his horses, cattle and sheep, his granary with corn, wheat, rye, oats, peas and beans, and his cellar with pota- toes, apples, and other esenlent vegeta- bles. A sufficient quantity of grain for the supply of the inhabitants wight easily be raised in all parts of the state, yet the greater part of the lands are better adapt- ed for grazing than for tillage. The hills and mountains, which are not arable on account of their steepness, or rocks, afford the best of pasturage for cattle and sheep. Of the fruits, nuts, berries, &c., which grow in Vermont, both wild and cultiva- ted, a more particular account will be given in a subsequent chapter on the bota- ny of the state. are level tracts lying but little higher than the ordinary height of the water in the streams, and are in most cases subject to being flooded, when the water is very high. They were, while in a state of na- ture, covered with a heavy growth of for- est trees, such as oak, butternut, chm, buttonwood, walnut, ash, and some other kinds. Back of these flats were frequent- Jy others, elevated a few feet higher, and covered with white pine. Still further back, the land rises, in most cases very gradually, into hills and upland plains, and the soil becomes harder and more gravelly, but very little diminished in richness and fertility. The timber upon these lands, which constitute the greater part of the state, was principally sugar maple, beech and birch, interspersed with bass, ash, elin, butternut, cherry, horn- beam, spruce and hemlock. And still fur- ther back the lands rise into mountains, which are in general timbered with ever- greens, such as spruce, hemlock and fir. The loftiest mountains are generally rocky and the summits of some few of them consist of naked rock, with no other traces of vegetation than a few stinted shrubs and mosses; but they are, in general, thickly covered with timber to their very tops. Along the western part of the state, and bordering upon Lake Cham- plain, are extensive tracts of light sandy soil, which were originally covered with white, pitch and Norway pine, and in the northern part of the state, swamps are numerous which were well stored with tamarack and white cedar. A more full account of the native vegetables found in this state will be given in a subsequent chapter. Smer the country has been cleared, the soil has, in general, been fuund sufficiently free from stone to ud- mit of easy cultivation, and to be very productive in corn, grain and grass. With- out inanuring the intervales usually pro- duce large crops, and are easily cultiva- ted, but these crops are liable, occasion- ally, to be destroyed by floods-the same agency which produces the fertility of the woil on which they grow. All parts are, however, sufficiently fertile amply to re- ward the labors of the husbandman, and
ing, because it will express our meaning more bric ty atul intelligibly ta the greater part of our readers, than any other we could employ. It may be derived from inter-within, and collis-a vale, or valley ; and in its specific signification, it denotes those allu- vial dats, lying along the mougins of streams, which have been, or occasionally ure overflowed in cons- quence of the rising of the water. For the use of the word in this sense, we have the authority of Dr. Belknap and Ih. Williams, the historians of New Hampshire and Vermont, and other good writers.
Medicinal Springs .- There are in Ver- mout springs which are more or less im- pregnated with mineral, or gaseous sub- stances, but none which have yet ac- quired a very general or permanent celeb- rity for their curative properties. Along the shore of Lake Champlain, in the counties of Addison and Rutland, the wa- ters generally are impregnated with Ep- som salis, (sulphate of magnesia). Some of the springs are so highly charged with these salts, in the dryer parts of the year, that a pail full of the water will produce a pound of the salts. They have been manufactured, for medicinal purposes, in some quantities, and, did the price of the article make it an object, they might be made here to alnost any extent.
The medicinal properties of most of the waters in this state, which have acquired any notoriety, are derived from gaseous and not from mineral substances. In dif- forent towns in the northeastern part of the state, are springs of cold, soft and clear water, which are strongly impreg- nated with salphuretted hydrogen gas,and said to resemble the Harrow - tate waters in England, and those of Ballcastle and Castlemain in Ireland. These waters are found to be efficacious in scrofulous and many other cutaneous complaints, and the springs at Newbury, Tunbridge, Hard- wick, &c., have been much resurted to by valetudinarians in their vicinity.
Of medicinal springs on the west side of the Green Mountains, those of Claren- don and Alburgh have acquired the great- est notoriety. It is now about 16 years since the springs at Clarendon began to be known beyond their immediate neigh- borhood. Since that fine their reputa- tion has been annually extending, and the number of visitors increasing, till they have at length become a place of consider- able resort for the afflicted from various
8
NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT.
PART I.
CLARENDON SPRINGS.
CLARENDON AND PLYMOUTH CAVES.
parts of the country. They are situated in a | picturesque and beautiful region, 7 miles southwest from Rutland, and have, in their immediate vicinity, good accommo- dations for 500 visiters. The waters are found to be highly efficacious in affections of the liver, dispepsia, urinary and all cu- taneous complaints, rheumatism, invete- rate sore eyes, and many others, and they promise fair to go on increasing in noto- riety and usefulness. These waters differ in their composition from any heretofore known, but resemble most nearly the German Spa water. For their curative properties they are believed to be indebted wholly. to the gases they contain. They have been analyzed by Mr. Augustus A. Ilayes, of Roxbury, Mass., with the fol- lowing results. One gallon, or 235 cubic inches of the water contained,
Carbonic acid gas 46.16 cubic inch.
Nitrogen gas
9.63 "
Carbonate of Lime
3.02 grains.
Murate of Lime
Sulphate of Soda
2.74 grs.
Sulphate of Magnesia
One hundred cubic inches of the gas which was evolved from the water, con- sisted of
Carbonic acid gas 0.05 cubic inches.
Oxygen gas 1.50 €¢
Nitrogen gas 98.45 ...
The Alburgh springs do not differ ma- terially from the springs at Newbury, "Tunbridge, and other places in the north- eastern part of the state, owing their med- acinal properties principally to the sul- phuretted hydrogen gas, which they con- xain.
Caves. There are no caves in Vermont which will bear comparison with some of the caverns found in other parts of the world, and yet we have several, which are deserving the attention of the curi- ous. Those at Clarendon, Plymouth and Danby are the most interesting. The Clarendon cave is situated on the south- easterly side of a mountain in the wester- ly part of that town. The descent into it is through a passage 2} feet in diameter and 31 feet in length, and which makes an angle of 35 or 40° with the horizon. It then opens into a room 20 feet long, 12} wide, and 18 or 20 feet high. The floor, sides and roof of this room are all of solid rock, but very rough and uneven. From the north part of this room is a pas- sage about 3 feet in diameter and 24 feet in length, but very rough and irregular, which leads to another room 20 feet wide, 30 feet long and 18 feet high. This room, being situated much lower than the first, is usually filled with water in the spring
of the year, and water stands in the low- est parts of it at all seasons .*
The Plymouth caves are situated at the base of a considerable mountain, on the southwest side of Black river, and about 50 rods from that stream. They are ex- cavations among the lime rock, which have evidently been made by running water. The principal cave was discov- ered about the first of July, 1818, and on the 10th of that month was thoroughly explored by the Author, who furnished the first description of it, which was published shortly after in the Vermont Journal at Windsor. The passage into this cavern is nearly perpendicular, about the size of a common well, and 10 feet in depth. This leads into the first room which is of an oval form, 30 feet long, 20 wide, and its greatest height about 15 feet. It appears as if partly filled up with loose stones, which had been thrown in at the mouth of the cave. From this to the second room is a broad sloping passage. This room is a little more than half as large as the first. The bottom of it is the lowest part of the cave, being about 25 feet below the surface of the ground, and is composed principally of loose sand, while the bottoms of all the other rooms are chiefly rocks and stones. The passage into the third room is 4 feet wide and 5 high, and the room is 14 feet long, 8 wide, and 7 bigh. The fourth room is 30 feet long, 12 wide, and 18 high, and the rocks, which form the sides, in- cline towards each other and meet at the top like the ridge of a house. The fifth room, very much resembling an oven in shape, is 10 feet long, 7 wide, and 4 high, and the passage into it from the third room is barely sufficient to admit a person to crawl in. At the top of this roomn is a conical hole, 10 inches across at the base and extending 2 feet into the rock. From the north side of the second room are two openings leading to the sixth and seventh, which are connected together, and each about 15 feet long, 7 wide, and 5 high. From the seventh room is a narrow pas- sage which extends northerly 15 or 16 feet into the rocks, and there appears to terminate. When discovered, the roof and sides of this cavern were beautifully ornamented with stalactites, and the bot- tom with corresponding stalagmites, but most of these have been rudely broken off and carried away by the numerous visit- ers. The temperature, both in winter and summer, varies little from 443º, which is about the mean temperature of the cli- mate of Vermont in that latitude. A few
* Williams' Ilistory of Vermont, vol. I, p. 29,
9
DESCRIPTIVE GEOGRAPHY.
CHIAP. 1.
CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE.
METEOROLOGICAL JOURNALS.
rods to the westward of this cavern there | places in this state, was as follows : Mont- is said to be another which is about two thirds as large.
SECTION III. Climate and Meteorology.
Temperature .- Though situated in the middle of the north temperate zone, the climate of Vermont is subject to very considerable extremes both of heat and cold, and the changes of temperature are often very sudden. The usual annual range of the thermometer, in the shade, is from about 92º above to 22º below zero on Farenheit's scale, though it is some- times known to rise as high as 100°, and at other times to sink as low as 36º, and even to 39º or 40° below zero. But so great a degree of cold as that last men- Goned, which is the freezing point of mercury, has not, to our knowledge, been experienced but twice since the means of measuring temperature have been in use in the state, and these were both in the year 1835; the first on the 4th of January, and the second on the morning of the 18th of December. The temperature of the 4th of January, as noted at several | contained in the following tables :
pelier -40º, White River -- 40º, Bradford -38º, Newbury -36º, Norwich -369, Windsor -- 34º, Hydepark -36°, Rutland -30°, and Burlington -26°; and the temperature varied but little from the above at those places on the 18th of De- cember. For some time after the first settlement of Vermont the thermometer was hardly known in this part of the country ; and since that instrument has become common, very few meteorological journals have been kept, and those few have not, in general, been kept with sulfi- cient care to render them of much value, nor have many of them been preserved in a condition to be accessible to those who may wish to consult them. And hence we possess few accurate data, either for determining the mean annual tempera- ture of the different sections of the state, or for settling the mooted question with regard to a change of elimate correspond- ing to the clearing and cultivating of the country. The results of the principal ob- servations, to which we have access, and which have been made in this state, to aseertain the temperature of the months and the mean annual temperature, are
Rutland
[Burlington .]Windsor.
Burlington. Thompson.
January,
18.09
14.4°
20,00
25.09
19.7
22.8
26.1
18.6
12.2
25.3
February,
18.5
18.9
26.5
31.1
19.3
15.3
12.3
21.2
28.4
19.6
March,
32.0
28.5
30.3
32.4
30.8
28.2
32.6
36.6
31.4
25.3
April,
41.0
39.5
38.1
39.2
39.4
46.1
35.8
46.3
47.0
39.1
May,
50.0
56.3
57.1
57.6
52.4
57.0
51.7
53.3
57 9
52.8
June,
61.0)
66.6
66 1
69.7
61.3
59.6
68.1
60.7
65.6
67.1
July,
67.5
68.2
63.5
70.1
68.5
66.2
71.8
71.5
71.6
63.5
August,
67.5
67.6
61.3
70.2
62.3
63.3
67.5
68.3
725
70.5
& ptember
57.0
57.1
62.1
60.8
58.7
57.2
60.5
60.6
58.3
61.9
O toler,
11.0
45.2
195
16.7
47.7
44.9
46.8
50.8
45 0
45.0
November,
:17 0
33.5
36.2
33.9
35.6
31.5
31.3
31.0
35.6
35.3
December,
30 0
2.1.7
24.0
23 6
2.1.7
19.1
26.2
21 1
26.4
73.6
43.4
45.6
47.6
43.8
43.3
43.6
45.5
45.7
44.8
Meteorological observations at Williamstown by Hon. Elijah Paine.
MONTHIS.
1829|1830|1831|1832|1833 1834(1835|1836|1837 1838 1839| 1840 |1841
January,
11.4
10.9
17.1
19.3
12.5
17.9
17.3
9.7
23.9 15.
9.0
21.6
February,
10.9
14.3
14.6
14.6
13.5 226.5
12.6
10.5
16.7
9.9 20.8
23.7
15.8
March,
23.5
26.4
26.4
25.4
23.5
27.2
25.1
22.9
23.6
30.9 25 8
26.0
21.1
April,
36.6
41.6
39.8
41.2
11.7
36.1
31.5
36.5
31.2 41.2
40.7
31 7
May,
54.8
49.6
53.2
51.7
48.9
48.0
51.6
45.9
60.6
61.2 66.2 65.2
6.1.8
12 6
August,
60.7
|60.7
63.6
63.5
59.5
60.5
60.9
57.0
59.8
61.6 61.4
61.6
63.9
September,
47.9
51.4
53.0
53.9
52.7
55.1
50.0
53.3
152.0
54.2
52.5
57.0
October,
42.6
.14.4
44.6
43.9
41.2
89.7
47.8
31.5
39.0
39.7
15.4
41.9
38.5
November,
29.7
38.2
30.9
131.7
29.5
28.9
29.8
28.7
30.6
25.3 28.1
30.2
29.4
December,
27.3
24.9
7.1
19.7
21.1
16.0
13.1
17.8
1-1.4 14.1 21.4
16.2
21.7
40.7 139.4
39.5 40.2 138.8 37 7 37.5
39.1 40.2
39.9
63.0 51.9
55.5
63.1
July,
60.2
16.1.1
G1.4
63.3
62.3
57.1
59.4
א אל
64.6
65.1
48.5 18.7
51.7
47.7
June,
58.9 64.8
59.3
55.4
MONTHIS.
Williams 1789.
Sanders.
Fowler
1803-8.
1806.
1828. 1832.
1833.|1838.1839. 18401
1:41
40 0
Pr. 1.
10
NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT.
PART I.
MEAN TEMPERATURE AT BURLINGTON AND WILLIAMSTOWN.
WINDS.
With the exception of the first three | by the changes of temperature which are columns in the first of the two preceding tables, the particulars of which are not known, all the means for the months have been deduced from three daily obser- vations, taken at sun-rise, 1 o'clock, P. M. and 9 in the evening. Now, as the three daily observations at Burlington synchronize for several years with those at Williamstown, the two tables enable us to make a very accurate comparison of the mean temperature of the two places ; and the comparison shows that the mean temperature of Burlington, although sit- uated 22' farthest north, is about 5~ warm- er than that of Williamstown, that of the former being 44.6º and the latter 39.4º. But the cause of this difference is obvi- ous in the location of the two places, Bur- lington being situated on the margin of lake Champlain, and the place of obser- vation elevated only 250 feet above it, while Williamstown lies among the Green Mountains near the geographical centre of the state, and, the place of Judge Paine's observation, elevated 1500 feet above the lake .*
The mean annual temperature of Bur- lington, deduced from all of the 12 years observations in the preceding table, is 4.1.12, and from the seven years observa- tions by the author 44.9º, but, as the year 1623 was very remarkably warm, that |ing winds are from the northwest. The should, perhaps, be set aside, and the mean of the other six, 41.49, taken as prob- ably a fair statement of the mean annual temperature of Burlington. The mean annual temperature of Williamstown, de- duced from the whole of Judge Paine's observations, is 40.3º. following tables contain "the result of observations made at Burlington, for eleven years, and at Rutland for one year. In the journal kept by the author at Burlington, and from which the ta- bles on the following page were copied, three observations of wind and weather were entered each day, which synchro- nize with the observations of tempera- ture for the same years in the preceding
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