2 Dr. Beckivith on the Subterranean 



within your province, and with which you are so thorough- 

 ly acquainted that it would he but "discoursing on war in 



the presence of Hannibal.'^ 



The wall discovered first, was about twenty-seven years 

 ago, exposed to view by repealed heavy rains washing a 

 deep ravine^ in the side of a hill of moderate elevation; up- 

 on the south branch of the Yadkin River, about eight miles 

 from Salisbury. It is described by Dr. Hall, as being 

 "composed of small stones, laid in white cement, reserabhng 

 lime of a very fine texture. The largest stones do not exceed 

 twelve pounds in weiglit, and from that of all sizes down to the 

 weight of an ounce. Specimens from this wall are marked 

 No. 1 — the length of these peices makes half the width of the 

 wall, and they are preserved together, precisely as they were 

 taken from it. The aid of a mattock is required to loosen 

 some of them, others may be pulled up by the hand. The 

 species he says is what the Irish call hlaclc whin^ nor is there 

 any other kind of stone to be found in the wall. Mr. Lewis 

 remarks that '* the ends of the stones, which are of different 

 figures, form the sides of the walk Some of the ends are 

 square, others are nearly of the form of a parallelogram, 

 triangle, rhombus, orrhomboides; butmost ofthemirregular. 

 Some preserve the figure and dimensions of the end through 

 the whole length ; others enlarge or diminish from the end. 

 The surface of some is plain, of some concave and of 

 others convex. Every concave stone is furnished with one 

 of a convex surface. When the stones are not so exactly fit- 

 ted as to lie perfectly level and firm, they are curiously wedg- 

 ed with others, which are very small, and of a piano-con- 

 vex form. The most irregular and unmanageable stones 

 ire thrown into the middle of the wall. The whole ap- 

 pears to be arranged in the most skilful manner to make the 

 wall solid and strong." The idea isl think, rather fanciful than 

 correct. A close inspection of the specimens will 1 believe 

 satisfy you that these httle pieces possess that kind of regu- 

 larity, and conformity to the larger ones, which made them 

 necessary and constituent parts of the solid formation, prior 

 to its separation. He again remarks, that, *^ every stone is 

 covered with a species of cement. The cement contiguous 

 to the stone, has th'e appearance o^ iron rust ; and where it 



a 



* I use this word for want of an English one to express my idea. 



