218 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



As yet, too little is known of the fossils of the new 



J ' 



world to warrant any invidious statements. Marl, 

 building-stone, and iron-ore are found in this region ; 

 but we saw very few and insignificant block-houses 

 and plantations. 



Shippensburg has a good number of houses, but 

 mostly of wood. There are really two distinct places, 

 each standing on the side of a little hill. We paid here 

 uncommonly dear for very sorry entertainment. From 

 here the great road to the frontiers of Virginia and 

 Carolina keeps on along the valley between the North 

 and South Mountain ; but our road now lay to the 

 right towards the mountain itself, and from now on 

 began to grow worse, for miles together full of loose 

 limestone rocks. Wild turkeys we had hitherto seen 

 only here and there, and singly, in the remoter parts ; 

 but today we came upon sundry large flocks. They 

 were running on the road in the woods, and with the 

 utmost speed got into the bush ; a few were roosting 

 on trees. They are distinguished from the tame sort 

 only in being more uniformly black, brown, or dirty 

 white ; for the rest they are quite like them and belong 

 to the same species. Here and there the statement is 

 made that they mix and breed with the tame sort, but 

 this is also denied. Their flesh is well-tasting, and 

 they are found of good weights. 



Seven miles from Shippensburg a well was digging 

 where a new house was going up. The first 15 feet 

 there was the common yellow sandy clay; then 20 ft. 

 through limestone rock ; the limestone growing darker, 

 verging on black, farther down, and showing holes and 

 nests of clear white spath-crystals which in the air 

 soon softened and grew darker. At 35 ft. no water 

 had been found. 



