130 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 
stones. On Stump-house mountain this rock is seen, as well as in Chauga valley. On Chatuga, 
near Whetstone Creek, ledges cross the river, in a direction north and south, 
The gneiss of the mountains, as I have elsewhere shown, is found capping the entire range. It 
appears, indeed, like an enormous weight, placed upon the underlying more fissile rocks, to keep 
them in place. 
On Cheochee Creek the gneiss is remarkable for its large, lenticular crystals of feldspar. A fine 
opportunity is presented, in Jocasse Valley, for the study of the geological structure of the moun- 
tains of the State; and if a section be traced from thence along the Estatoe Mountains, to Table- 
rock, very correct ideas may be formed of these spurs of the Blue Ridge. 
A very interesting formation, composed, for the most part, of hornblende slates, alternating with 
gneiss, is found along the base of the mountains, forming a band several miles wide, and extending 
nearly, without interruption, from Table-rock to Little River. Another extensive patch of these 
rocks may be seen between Pendleton village and West Union; they are also well developed 
around Pickens Court House. 
The warm brown color of the soils derived from these rocks will enable any one to detect these 
localities, even where the rocks do not appear upon the surface. 
Between Chauga and Pulham’s Ferry other interesting exposures occur. A bed of crystalline 
hornblende rock occurs, which, from its great weight and peculiar color, was taken for iron ore. 
Not far from this locality a fine stratum of chloritic slate is seen, passing into soapstone. Strike 
N. 20° E. and standing nearly vertical. Soapstone is found very constantly associated with horn- 
blende slates, wherever the latter occurs in the District. 
The mica slates of Pickens occupy the north-west corner, or that portion drained by the waters 
of Chauga. 
One would suppose, from a glance at the map of Pickens, that this portion, and indeed nearly the 
whole of the District, was covered by rugged mountains. This is, nevertheless, far from the truth. 
The surface is indeed undulating, but below the mountains proper there are but few hill sides so steep 
as to be inaccessible to the plough. I mention this, because I recollect my surprise when I reached 
Pendleton, at finding the mountains barely in view above the yet distant horizon. Persons who, 
like myself, derived their knowledge from the topographical delineations on the map, would con- 
clude that the country was too rugged and broken for cultivation, when, in truth, it is not more so 
than Union and the adjoining Districts. 
It is in the mica slates that the limestone of Pickens is found. 
On Chauga Creek this rock is found in the narrow part of the stream; but many years having 
elapsed since any opening was made, I was unable to come to any conclusion as to the extent of 
the bed. A rude kiln was erected here and a few charges seem to have been burned in it. I found 
a bed of impure limestone below the kiln, and extending across the stream. Fragments of a better 
quality are, however, scattered over the surface in the vicinity, that indicate a better bed, which was 
doubtless used in the kiln, and is now concealed beneath the loose materials that have fallen down 
from the steep banks of the creek. 
Another bed occurs on Brasstown Creek, a stream which flows along the strike of the rocks, and 
empties into the Tugaloo, at Pulaski. This bed, which is found about nine miles from the mouth 
