Notice of a Mineralized Tree^ t$/-c. 



253 



on this road from the village of Peekskill, and then ascend 

 a very high and steep hill on the lefi hand, near the top of 

 which the rock may be seen. The moveable stone is about 

 thirty-one feet in circumference, and five feet through in 

 the thickest part — it is of granite, the mica bed so strati- 

 fied as to present somewhat the appearance of gneiss, and 

 it stands or is supported on a base or pedestal of the same 

 xnineral. A better idea will be formed of the figure and 

 position of this rock from the rough sketch which accompa- 

 nies this, than from any verbal description. The under 

 rock or pedestal (R) is about one foot and a half high, and 

 is ahnost flat on its upper surface. The rolling rock (C) 

 rests on this plane- 



ly as the wonderful rock in Asia mentioned by Pliny — or as 

 the Gygonian stone, which trembled on being "struck with 

 the stalk of an Asphodel ^" it can however be rolled a lit- 

 tle by the hand, and with a small lever it can be moved 

 with great ease ;-**-aotwithstanding this, six men with crow- 



Although it cannot be shaken as easi- 





i.* t ■ 



bars have been unable, to roll it down from its pedestal. 

 Large masses of steatite arc scattered around — good speci- 

 nnens of Asbestus, may also be obtained at a short distance. 

 I found some very pretty specimens of blue quartz in the 

 blocks of granite, which form the fence along the road. 

 On the west of the rocking stone, about half a mile, there 

 is a lake three miles long and half a mile wide — a sheet of 

 water of much magnitude is not frequently met with on such 

 an elevation. 



33 



I. 



