426 OBSERVATIONS ON THE GEOLOGY 



On the great Kanawa river, near the mouth of Elk river, 

 there is a large mass of black (I suppose vegetable) earth, so 

 soft, as to be penetrated by a pole from 10 to 15 feet deep; out of 

 the hole thus made, a stream of hi/drogene ^frequently issues, 

 which will burn for some time. In the vicinity of this place 

 .there are constant streams of that gas, which it is said when once 

 lighted will burn for weeks, a careful examination of this place, 

 would probably throw some light on the formation of coal and 

 other combustible substances, found in great abundance in this 

 formation. 



From near Kingston on lake Ontario, to some distance below 

 Quebec (as far as I can recollect, not having my note-book 

 here) it is principally primitive; and from all the information 

 I could collect, that great mass of continent, lying to the north 

 of the 46th degree of latitude, for a considerable distance to the 

 west, consists mostly of the same formation; from which it is 

 probable, that on this continent, as well as in Europe and Asia, 

 the northern regions are principally occupied by the primitive 

 formation. 



The foregoing observations are the result of many former 

 excursions in the United States, and a knowledge lately acqui- 

 red by crossing the dividing line of the principal formations, 

 in 15 or 20 different places, from the Hudson to Flint river; 

 as well as from the information of intelligent men, whose situ- 

 ation and experience, make the nature of the place near which 

 they live familiar to them; nor has the information that could 

 be acquired from specimens, when the locality was accurately 

 marked, been neglected, nor the remarks of judicious travellers. 



Notwithstanding the various sources of information, much 

 of the accuracy of the outlines of separation between the for- 

 mations, must depend on rational analogy; for instance, be- 

 tween Maggotty and Rocktish Gaps, a distance of upwards of 

 sixty miles, I found in six different places which were exa- 

 mined, that the summit of the blue ridge divided the primitive 

 and transition formations: I of course concluded, that in pla- 

 ces where I had not examined (or which from their nature 

 could not be examined) the blue ridge from Maggotty Gap to 

 Rockfish Gap, was the boundary of the two formations. 



