. The Catskill Mountains; . h rises forty miles in the interior, not to mentionthe Schoharie creek, or the branches of the Delaware river. These mountains are a spur of the great Appalachian sys-tem which extends along the Atlantic coast from Maine toAlabama. They cover a superficial area of some squaremiles, and their general trend is from southeast to northwestor at right angles to every other group in this system. Com-ing up the Hudson, they burst into vision about ninety milesfrom the mouth of that river, and from eight to ten miles fromthe v/estern shore at Kingston. Here they rise
. The Catskill Mountains; . h rises forty miles in the interior, not to mentionthe Schoharie creek, or the branches of the Delaware river. These mountains are a spur of the great Appalachian sys-tem which extends along the Atlantic coast from Maine toAlabama. They cover a superficial area of some squaremiles, and their general trend is from southeast to northwestor at right angles to every other group in this system. Com-ing up the Hudson, they burst into vision about ninety milesfrom the mouth of that river, and from eight to ten miles fromthe v/estern shore at Kingston. Here they rise abruptly fromthe base over ^.ooo feet in the air for miles along the easternface, there being innumerable peaks, in the interior, three ofwhich are over {;o feet in height. These peaks vary materi-ally in physical structure and plastic form, and are geologicallyunlike ordinary mountain formations. Instead of the usual foldsor fragments of arches, the rock is composed of piled up stratain the original horizontal THK MOUNTAINS. 23 Just how and at what period ot theearths history these massive crags wereWERE FORMED, (q,.,-,-,^^ j^ ^^ill a question tbr the geolo-gist of the future. The theory of a high phiteau or mass ofelevations, is still adhered to by the best authorities, includingProf. Arnold Guyot, the learned scientist, who made more care-ful investigation and personal examination of the Catskills thanany other man of modern times. He believed that in prehis-toric ages the earth contained tenfold more water than now,and therefore in that antediluvian epoch, water was the mightyagent in shaping the earths surface. Glacial action is clearlyindicated all through the range, some thirteen distinct visita-tions of this mighty propelling force, peculiar to the early agesof the world, having been traced. Other writers incline to thetheory of upheaval from volcanic or other causes. But eventhey must resort to the doctrine of erosion as a subsequent orlinal pro
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