_Physical Features._--The surface is a gently rolling upland, forming
a part of the "New England uplands," above which rise isolated
mountain peaks and clusters of peaks, and below which are cut numerous
river valleys.[1] The highest peak is Mt Katahdin (5200 ft.), a little
N.E. of the centre of the state in Piscataquis county, which rises
from a comparatively level upland. South-west of Katahdin, in Franklin
county, are most of the other high peaks of the state: Saddleback
Mountain (4000 ft.), Mt Abraham (3388 ft.), Mt Bigelow (3600 ft.), and
Mt Blue (3200 ft.). A little N. of this line of mountain peaks is the
water-parting which divides the state into a north slope and a south
slope. The north slope descends gently both to the N. and to the E.;
although quite hilly in the middle and western portions it is so
poorly drained that swamps abound in all sections. The south slope
which contains nearly all the mountains and is generally more hilly,
has a mean descent toward the sea of about 7 ft. to the mile, the fall
being greater in the W., where the mountains are high at the N. and
the shore low at the S., and less to the E., where the water-parting
is lower and the shore high and rocky.
After the uplift which caused the rivers to cut below the general
"uplands," and develop well marked valleys for themselves, came the
period of the great continental glaciation. The glacier or ice sheet
overran all Maine, irregularly scouring out the bed rock to produce
rock basins, damming up many river valleys with glacial deposits and
completely disarranging the drainage lines. When the ice melted, the
rock basins and the dammed-up valleys filled with water to produce
lakes. This is the origin of the numerous lakes of Maine, which give
it some of its most beautiful scenery, and help to make it a holiday
resort in summer. These lakes are about 1600 in number, are scattered
in all parts of the state, are especially numerous at high elevations,
and have an aggregate area of more than 2000 sq. m. Few other regions
have so many large lakes so variously situated, and with such beauty
of aspect and surroundings. They contribute largely to a constant
supply of water power for which the course of the rivers of S.W. Maine
are exceptionally well adapted, many of them abound in trout, salmon,
togue, black bass and pickerel; and near them there is still much
game. Moosehead Lake (about 120 sq. m.; 35 m. long and from 2 m. to 10
m. wide), on the boundary between Piscataquis and Somerset counties,
is the largest in Maine and the largest inland body of water wholly in
New England; the Kennebec River is its principal outlet and Mt Kineo
rises abruptly to about 1760 ft. above the sea (about 700 ft. above
the lake) on its eastern shore. Other lakes, such as the Rangeley
Lakes,[2] Chesuncook and Twin Lakes on the Penobscot, and the Grand or
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account