﻿1848. SANDSTONE CLIFFS. 209 



who states that it is fifty fathoms deep; but in 

 obtaining such soundings, his lead must have 

 fallen into a -crevice, or have been carried down 

 the channel of the stream by the strength of 

 the current ; for gentlemen of the Hudson's Bay 

 Company, Avho are well acquainted with the locality, 

 informed me that a bed of stone crosses the stream, 

 and at the close of the summer, when the river is 

 at the lowest, produces a fall, except on the east 

 side, where there is a channel that boats can ascend 

 by towing. In the dilatation of the river above the 

 Rampart defile, there are some fine examples of 

 sandstone cliffs, which have decayed so as to form 

 caves, pillars, embrasures, and other architectural 

 forms. The beds^^have slate-clay partings and seams 

 of clay-ironstone. Associated with them there is 

 a marly stone, containing corallines, referred by 

 Mr. Sowerby to Amplexus ; and covering the sand- 

 stone in many places, and alternating with the 

 upper beds, there is a deposit of bituminous shale. 



In making its way through the defile, the river 

 bends suddenly to the east-north-east, and, as the dip 

 of the beds forming the cliffs on each side is in the 

 contrary direction, the strata rise into sight in suc- 

 cession as we descend the river. The cliffs have 

 been denuded of the covering of shale which exists 

 higher up the stream, but the limestone of which 

 they are chiefly formed is stained with bitumen, 



VOL. I. p 



