SOURCE OF ST. PETER's RIVER. 201 



subjacent rock, with a diversity in the character of the 

 country, or of its vegetation, would naturally find an ex- 

 planation for the new features which the country assumes, 

 by observing that the high banks of this glen are formed of 

 sandstone rocks, the nature of which we had an opportunity 

 of studying with attention, during a great part of our jour- 

 ney of the 18th of June. We observed that the sandstone is 

 distinctly superposed to the limestone ; that it constitutes 

 upon it hills, which vary from thirty to one hundred feet 

 and upwards ; these hills are divided by valleys, in the 

 bottom of which the limestone reappears in place. The 

 sides of the hills are steep, and but few indications of stra- 

 tification are observable, except where the valley is partly 

 excavated in the limestone itself; in which case the lower 

 part of the hill is less steep, but presents a distinct stratifi- 

 cation. The line of superposition of the sandstone over the 

 limestone, may also be traced with considerable accuracy, 

 by the examination of the vegetation. Whenever the lat- 

 ter rock prevails, the surface is even and smooth, or mo- 

 dified by gentle swells, covered with a thick and long 

 grass, and forming an uniform fine green, meadow-like 

 country, while the sandstone invariably imparts to the 

 surface an asperity which is as distinct as the vigorous 

 growth of trees with which it is covered, and as its abun- 

 dant undergrowth, which denotes a strong and productive 

 soil, having a tendency to bear heavy forests. 



The rock is a white sandstone, formed of fragments 

 of fine transparent and colourless quartz, united by a 

 cement, which in some parts appears to be ferruginous, 

 while in others it is colourless, and probably of a calcare- 

 ous nature. In some parts the cement is quite invisible, 

 and would almost lead to the belief that the union of the 

 grains was a crystalline one. This sandstone appears in frag. 



Vol. T. 26 





