Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-07-25

Our Coast at the Close OF the Glacial
Period.

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DIR. De Laski I'M communication to the
hockland Free Press, giving an account
OF the discovery of the fossil whale at
Bangor last year while the workmen were
cutting down hill for site for rail-
road depot, the bones being now in the
possession of DR.. A. c. Hamlin, gives the
following surmises as to the condition of
the coast of Maine and New England inn
mediately following the great glacial
period:
"lt was at the time when the glacial
had Just disappeared from the country,
and New England annually presented the
magnificent spectacle of spacious lakes
and deep broad rivers. Everywhere the
country was a theater of moving waters.
SHOWS yet covered the highest hills all
the year round, and lay deep in the Alpine
valleys. In winter appalling snow storms
as now in Northern Labrador and about
Hudsons Bay, were q constant occur
renee in the country During the other
seasons, cloudless, calm day was rarely
seen. Cold fogs hung over the land.
Winds OF terrific power swept over the
sea and country, and increased the desc
lation of nature. The ruins of the eroded
rocks-vast ridges of gravel and sand, but
slightly assorted by the water from out
the glacier lateral moraines laying here
and there in more or less disorder-now
became partially assorted by the denuding
influence of long continued rains. Some
OF the largest rivers north of Cape Ann
were united at this time and had their
discharge into the ocean far out at sea
from the present coast. The slightest ex-
animation OF the river basins ofthe country,
shows that their streams were once much
greater than they are now.
We are not certain how deep the coast
OF Maine was submerged at this time, but
1t Is evident that about all the islands of
fenobscOt Bay were under the sea for
the highest part of North Haven, now
more than three hundred feet above high
water. was sea bottom, where in one
locality, the species of modern shell are
found.
1t was at this time when large part of
Maine was submerged and the Lede mol
lusks were inhabiting the deeper sea bot
toms of our coast, that the whale found at
Bangor near the railroad depot, settled
quietly down upon the bottom of the sea-
we have the means of bringing its last bit
of posthumous history to light. The re-
gion about Bangor was deeply covered by
the sea, and probably was still subsiding
The mountainous country between the
city and the present, was an archipelago.
An open sea extended over Washington
county and the border of New Brunswick,
to the bay of Chaleur, in the Gulf of st.
Lawrence, along which part of the
arctic current flowed. The country be-
tween the kennebec and Penobscot river,
formed an elevated mainland extending
towards the south, having the sea ON the
east and west where the river now flows,
as high at least towards the north, as
Waterville on one side and Lincolnville
on the other. Katadin, Was-attocook and
E-beme mountains looked down upon this
post glacial sea, as the hills of Camden
and Mount Desert, now overlook the
ocean. The kennebec at this time was
mere outlet of MOosehead, as the Pre-
sumpscot is of Sebago. The Aroostook
and ST. John were the principal rivers of
the state; and the Allagash was larger
than the Penobscot. The east branch of
the Penobscot and several other rivers of
our time, scarcely then existed, or were
no more than small streams even in the
spring time, for one must recollect that
New England was an insular climate, and
was as country shorn of its former des-
olating storms OF rain and snow. The
Androscoggin and Saco though small
in those times compared with their present
size, were rapid voluminous streams dur
ing the rainy season. Fish such as now,
visited the coast, and had free access to
this inland sea, in the estuaries of both the
Penobscot and kennebec. A whale that
died a natural death, or had been killed
by mortal enemies, driited towards the
coast. a score of hungry mouths sought
this banquet of the sea, as the eagle and
fny ha of, ch ch he
or other gluttons bit glbly at the luxuri-
Gus blubber, till piece by piece the once
1.-THE and comely flesh was spirited away.
Nature knows no waste. Eat and live is
her commandment to her household of
low and high degree. The head or ante
rior portion of the skeleton being heavier
than the caudal extremity began first to
droop, and finally to disappear beneath
the surface of the ocean, as does water
logged stick drifting in the river or sea;
and at last the mortal framework settled
quietly down upon the oceans bed.
There it remained headforemost resting in
the mud. In this manner it remained till
the fine clay which the ocean held in solu-
ton from time to time, gradually entomb-
ed it-covered up fifty feet. But no doubt
many feet of the OVERLAPPING clay has been
removed by the denuding action Of the
sea, when its waves got within reach of
it, We see that during the deposition of
the clay, the water must have been deep,
otherwise the waves would have prostra-
ted the skeleton; and furthermore, fine
clay is deposited only in still water. 1t
would be safe to say that not over one-six-
teenth of an inch depth yearly could have
been deposited above this fossil. Then it
approached the land, the ocean perhaps
receding from the northern hemisphere;
and accommodating in the southern onei
slow, very slow was this action-no sud
den uplifts were there in those remote
times, more than there are now in ours.
In volcanic countries, local substances and
upheavals are common occurrences. Dat
in the northeastern States and the Domin-
ion north of us, this kind OF action has
long since ceased. The North American
continent, certainly its eastern border, Is
rising, and this process must be slow ana
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