SOURCE OP ST. Peter's river. 35 



owing to the nature of the stratification, which is horizon- 

 tal throughout the country; for it is a fact, which general 

 observation confirms, that those hills, which are composed 

 of rocks horizontally stratified, are generally steepest in 

 their ascents, and present a tabular form at their summit. 

 The coal formation of Wheeling is very extensive; the 

 exact limits of this coal basin have not yet been traced with 

 accuracy, but as far as we are able to judge from the infor- 

 mation obtained upon a country as yet but thinly settled, 

 and in which natural science has been little attended to, 

 it would appear that it probably reaches as far to the 

 north-east as Lawrenceville, in Tioga County, Pennsylva- 

 nia, and perhaps may be considered as connected with 

 that lately discovered in Tioga County, (New York,) near 

 the head of Seneca Lake. The coal found at that place 

 is, as we were informed, abundant, of an excellent qua- 

 lity, and well characterised as bituminous. The eastern 

 limit may be taken to be formed by the main ridge of 

 the Alleghany mountains. Upon its western and south- 

 ern limits we are not prepared to decide, but it is proba- 

 ble that its breadth bears but a small proportion to its 

 length. 



At Zanesville we had an opportunity to observe the 

 geological features of the country to advantage. The bed 

 of the Muskingum is deeply incased, and the stratification 

 is exposed for a considerable distance. It there presents 

 the same features as in the vicinity of Wheeling, but the 

 order of stratification and the character of the rocks are 

 somewhat different. 



A very fine break displays the following section : com- 

 mencing at the lowest rocks, there is a sandstone of a toler- 

 ably coarse grain, filled with remains of vegetable sub- 

 stances converted into charcoal, in some cases partaking of 



