a i el ale arte —ee 
Prairies and Barrens of the West. 123 
the waters of that river. The bed of that stream has been 
deepened by the constant flowing of the water along its chan- 
nel; the water is drained off, and the prairies and barrens 
now occupy the soil which the water had made and formerly 
covered. The prairies above the falls of Hockhocking, along 
that river, have evidently been formed in the same way, and 
owe their origin and appearances to similar causes. There is, 
near Lancaster, on the last-mentioned river, in the State of 
Ohio, and near the great road, a gentle rise of ground in the 
prairie, which has every appearance of having been an island, 
_ and is so called by the people of the vicinity. 
In fine, wherever prairies and barrens are found, there, for 
a long space of time, water once stood, but was gradually 
drained off. Else why alluvial soil to such a depth, in low 
Situations, and growing thinner as we ascend on ground more 
elevated? Else why do we find rocks in more elevated tracts 
of country, and not in prairies or barrens? Else why do we 
find no alluvion, no grass, but a thick growth of ancient forest- 
trees on the higher lands? Else why do we find, beneath the 
alluvion of the prairies, pebbles and shells, similar to those at 
the bottom of lakes and ponds ? Else why do the higher grounds 
to this moment present the appearances of so many islands P 
And all these indications where no stream now in existence 
could by possibility have reached them ? 
That the waters which once covered so great a part of this 
State (Ohio) were drawn off gradually, we infer from the fact, 
that there is not a single indication of the effects of an earth- 
quake or volcano, from the foot of the Alleghany to the banks 
of the Mississippi : in this region, not a stone nor a layer of 
earth has been misplaced, nor its position changed. 
But an interesting inquiry here presents itself. Were the 
S along the Ohio, before they were worn away by the 
irae which now empty themselves into that river, ever 
Pe enough to raise the water to the north of them to such a 
“gree that it would overspread the country where the prai- 
et and barrens are now found? Although the height of these 
, Shas not been ascertained by the proper instruments, yet 
"om appearances, not to be mistaken by any person who 
