This lake was an important thoroughfare before white men traversed it, and it is so still, though the railroads on each side of it and those crossing both its northern and its southern portions diminish its importance in this respect. In colonial days and during the Revolutionary War and the war of 1812, there were strong fortifications on the west side of it, and important battles were fought near it and upon it.

The Hudson River rises among the Adirondack Mountains west of Lake Champlain and flows southeasterly, then southerly to New York Bay. This river is wholly in New York; but it receives tributaries from Vermont, and is a part of an important line of communication along the western border of Vermont. The Hudson is navigable from the ocean to Troy, which is just west from the southern boundary line of Vermont.

CHAPTER IV.

The Internal Waters of Vermont. Rivers, Lakes and Ponds.

The rivers of Vermont may be treated in four groups: the tributaries of the Connecticut River, of Lake Memphremagog, of Lake Champlain, and of the Hudson River.

The tributaries of the Connecticut River rise in the main water-shed of Vermont and flow in a southerly or southeasterly direction. The chief rivers of this class are the Deerfield, West, Williams, Black, Quechee, White, Ompompanoosuc, Wells, Passumpsic and Nulhegan rivers.

The tributaries of Lake Memphremagog in Vermont are the Clyde from the east, the Barton and Black rivers from the south.

The chief tributaries of Lake Champlain from Vermont are the Missisquoi, Lamoille, Winooski, Otter Creek, and Poultney rivers. The first three of these rise east of the main Green Mountain range and break through it. The Missisquoi is navigable to Swanton, about six miles from Lake Champlain, and the Otter Creek to Vergennes, eight miles.

The Vermont tributaries of the Hudson River are the Battenkill and the Hoosac, each of which receives important tributaries after leaving the State.

These rivers, and others with their tributaries, severally, water beautiful and fertile valleys and furnish valuable water power.

A few waterfalls are worthy of mention because of their height and beauty. The chief of these are Bellows Falls in the Connecticut River; falls in the Black

(Below the Toll Bridge.)

River; Molly's Falls in Molly's Brook, a branch of the Winooski River, falls near Lake Champlain in the Lamoille River, and Sutherland Falls in the Otter Creek at Proctor, and Bolton Falls, where the Winooski passes through the Green Mountains.

Several river gorges are worthy of mention. The most remarkable are those of the Black River near the middle of its course, of the Quechee River near its mouth, of the Winooski River near its mouth and just east of the Green Mountains at the Middlesex Narrows.

Fairlee Lake, a favorite summer resort, is tributary to the Ompompanoosuc River. On Morey Lake, near the Connecticut River, Samuel Morey plied his steamboat in 1793.

Groton and Wells River Ponds, lying among granitic mountains, are principal feeders of Wells River. Joe's Pond, high on the main water-shed, preserves the name of a famous Indian hunter. Crystal Lake and Lake Willoughby are tributaries of the Barton River and are surrounded by high mountains. Island Pond, Seymour Lake and Salem Pond are tributaries of the Clyde River, and with several other large ponds make it more uniform in its flow than most of the Vermont rivers. Caspian Lake is the source of a branch of the Lamoille River. Franklin Pond, remarkable for its curious pond walls, sends its waters through Canada to Lake Champlain. Fairfield Pond is tributary to the Missisquoi River. Lake Dunmore, celebrated in the tale of the Green Mountain Boys, is the source of Leicester River, which empties into the Otter Creek. Lake Bomoseen, surrounded by slate quarries, is tributary to the Castleton River, through which its waters reach the Poultney River. Lake St. Catherine, a lake in two parts connected by a narrow channel, sends its waters through Pawlet River and Wood Creek to Lake Champlain. There are many other lakes and ponds in Vermont, some of which are nearly as important as those named. They are all remarkable for the purity of their waters and for the beauty of the scenery in their neighborhoods. Many of them are favorite

summer resorts.

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT AND MAP.

:0:

Describe the Green Mountain range. Trace it on the map. Point out the highest mountains in it. Describe and trace the ranges parallel to the main range. Describe the main water-shed of Vermont. Trace it on the map. Describe the Taconic Mountains. Point out the highest of them. Describe the Red Sandrock Mountains. Point out those named. Describe and point out the Granitic Mountains. Describe the Southwest Valley of Vermont. Trace it. What rivers are found partly within it? Describe and trace the Central Valley of Vermont. What rivers rise in it? What cross it? What rivers form portions of the boundary of Vermont? In what directions do they flow? Into what waters ?

Name the Vermont tributaries of the Connecticut River.

Which

of them flows into Massachusetts? In what direction does it flow while in Vermont? What other of these tributaries flows nearly due south? Which have tributary ponds? What are the names of the ponds?

Name the Vermont tributaries of Lake Memphremagog. In what direction does each of them flow? What lakes or ponds are tributary to any of them?

Name the Vermont tributaries of Lake Champlain. In what direction does each flow? On which side of the Green Mountains does each rise? Which have tributary lakes? Name the lakes. On which side of the Taconic Mountains is the Otter Creek? On which side of them does the Castleton River rise? The Poultney River? The Battenkill?

Name the Vermont tributaries of the Hudson River. In what direction does each flow? Which enters Vermont from another State? From what State? Into what State do they all flow? Which of them unite before they reach the Hudson River? Name the chief waterfalls of Vermont. Point them out on the map.

Draw a map of Vermont showing its boundaries, mountains and rivers.