A half century ago the river between this gorge and a point about a quarter of a mile north of it made a most magnificent curve, three miles long; but during the flood in the spring of 1840 a straight channel was cut across, and the water continuing to flow in the old bed as well as the new, there existed for some years what may be called an island in the river.

At least three educational institutions of importance can be seen from the summit of Holyoke—­Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in South Hadley, Smith College in Northampton, and Amherst College.  Of the towns seen from here Northampton presents the most beautiful aspect.  Its fine public and private edifices and grand old elms show to great advantage.  One cannot tire of looking at the level plain stretching along on either side of the river, its surface divided into rectangular plats, covered in summer by the various luxuriant crops.  The view to the south includes, of course, the river, and also the pleasant village of South Hadley with its Seminary.  Springfield is not very plainly visible, but the spires of Hartford, Connecticut, can be seen on a clear day.  To the south-west, and at one’s very feet, is the wide gorge, with Tom rising directly across, its top being nearly two hundred feet above the position of the observer.  To the north-west Greylock is seen shooting up its head beyond the Hoosac.  To the north-east Monadnock looms up in the distance, while Wachusett lies low in the eastern horizon.  Close to the observer are Toby and Sugar Loaf, each presenting rather peculiar and fantastic outlines.  The view from Tom is essentially the same as that from Holyoke, and embracing as it does a radius of at least seventy-five miles in every direction, over the most fertile and charming region in New England, is one of rare beauty.

The ridge forming Tom and Holyoke is, as has been said, composed of greenstone.  All the other hills of consequence about the valley of the Connecticut are sandstone, and this is distinctively a sandstone region.  Of the other three hills to be spoken of, Toby and Sugar Loaf hold about the same relation to each other as do Holyoke and Tom, the Connecticut flowing between Toby on the east and Sugar Loaf on the west.  The former is nearly one thousand feet high, and lies in the northern part of Sunderland village.  It is of irregular shape, being indented by a number of valleys, and is densely wooded, so that until within the last few years it has not been a very desirable place from which to obtain a view; but there are now accommodations for sight-seers, and some of the obstructing forest having been removed, interesting views may now be obtained from several parts of the hill.  The view of the valley of the Connecticut from the southern part of the highest ridge is perhaps even finer than that from Holyoke.