The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-04-11
VIRGINIA.
MAJOR IIoroHK1ss' FIFTH LECTURE.

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MAJOR IIOTCHKISs' FIFTH LECTUR E.
The fifth and last lecture OF Major Jed
Hotchkiss, on The Geology and Geography
Of Virginia. was delivered at the Y. NJ. G..
A. Room, last Saturday night. closing a
series, which from the beginning has been
most interesting and instructive, and well
calculated not only to entertain but to per-
manent!y benefit those who listened to It.
Not only will the information immediately
derived prove source Of perpetual pleas
ure, but the desire it has excited for more
intimate acquaintance with and deeper en- :
quiry into the subject treated, will bear its
fruits in many an hour of research among
the pages OF that great volume from which
the learned of all ages have gathered their
most valuable lessons. In no field has there
been, or can there be, such explorations as
in that of Nature, and yet its undiscovered,
unknown realm stretches into infinity. The
source of all laws, the, origin of all causes,
it is at once the most attractive and unsat-
sfactory-alluring, but never gratifying, OF
studies.
Throughout the entire series, Major Hotch-
kiss has never failed to secure the closest at
tention, and though the audiences were
small, the appearance Of almost the same
faces each night proved the appreciation OF
his efforts, and the continuousinterestm main
tanned. The lecturers style is peculiarly at
tractive,-his language and Illustrations be-
ing Of that simple and direct character which
impresses the mind, and sinks deep.into the
memory, and it would be difficult for even
the most careless to listen to him and not
feel that something had been gained-some
real information acquired.
In his lecture Saturday night, Major
Hotchkiss established Staunton as centre.
and describing on the board circles with
radii Of one, two, three hundred miles, and
so on, proceeded to trace in the grand APP
pa.achian chain and the valleys that neigh
Dor it. An air line extending the full length
of the system, which is fifteen hundred
miles long and reaches from the mouth of
the st. Lawrence to Alabama, would locate
Staunton near the centre. In all their ex-
tent the Appalachian Mountains are re.
markable, not for their great elevation, nor
for their striking peaks, nor for any feature
that distinguishes one portion of them from
the rest, but for a singular uniformity of
outline, particularly Of that which defines
the summit of the ridges, as we'll as that
which marks their direction. While vary
ing very little in height, the ridges pursue a
remarkably straight course, sometimes
hardly diversing from straight line for a
distance of fifty or sixty miles, and one
ridge succeeding beyond another, all con-
tinuing the same general course in parallel
lines, like successive waves of the sea. AS
one curve rounds into a new direction all
curve with it. Thus the valleys between
the ridges preserve uniform width, and
are as remarkable for their parallelism as
arc the hills which bound them. 1t was to
description of these valleys, and their
urcr devoted the most of his time. Com
mencing with the Shenandoah he described
its water course, where and how it common
ces and ends, and the prominent features
which distinguish it. In rapid succession he
then dwelt in turn upon those which lie be-
yond and northward Of the Shenandoah, un-
til the St. Lawrence was reached. Then
coming back to the Shenandoah, he followed
the same general outline southwark to Ala
bama.
Just before the close OF his lecture, he ex.
planned the functions of the aerial and aqua
tic oceans, and the influences most potent
in them. Splitting a.: imaginary bucket OF
water, he followed the drop in its course.
through stream and river into the sea,
whence it was drawn by surface evapora-
ton under the influence Of solar heat, ito
the aerial ocean. Its subsequent diff usion
throughout the atmosphere, due principally
to its convection by the winds; its deposit
ton in the form OF clouds and rain its va
ried career back to the ocean again, were all
woven into story of absorbing interest, and
closed an hour OF rare pleasure and profit.
1t would be impossible to do these lee
lures justice in a newspaper report, even it
they were taken down verbatim, for the
maps and specimens with which they have
been accompanied, were no less important
than the words themselves. We regret with
many others, that the series has terminated,
and hope that the lecturer may soon
treat our citizens to another.