Gold Region of North Carolina. 17 
Parkersford. “ similar clay slate is the lowest rock as we 
descend the Neuse River, and from some indications in the 
intervening podenty, I have been euiuedd to suspect that it 
is upon this rook that the sand immediately reposes in this 
part of the stat 
red sauiiciane —The only circumstance ‘connected 
with this formation to which I deem it important to call the 
attention of geologists, is that after coming into contact with 
the sand near Cape Fear river, it is gradually more and more 
covered by it, till it finally disappears altogether. It is dis- 
closed in the bed of Drowning Creek, where the sand has 
formation exhibited upon the map, produces by its decompo- 
sition, a better soil than that which is farther north. Through- 
out the state it is remarkable for the extent of the low grounds 
upon the banks of its streams. It no where attains an ele- 
vation of more than five hundred or six hundred feet above 
the level of the sea 
Alluvial.—T he peculiarities of this formation, existing up- 
on the high grounds and wanting along the beds of t 
streams, are exhibited in the district embraced by the map, 
though perhaps not so strongly marked as in some other pla- 
ces. It is not supposed that mmute accuracy has been at- 
tained in the deck ean of its boundaries, but a fair repre- 
sentation of the mode of its distribution is given. In eve 
department of science, we arrive at truth by a = of ap- 
proximations. It is a curious circumstance, that 
from which a considerable extent of country is supplied wit 
millstones, (McDaniel’s) is on the bosom of the sand hills. 
A fork of Hitchcock creek has uncovered a sesinite rock at 
this place for a distance of from a quarter to half a mile in 
its bed and along its bank, and from this they are eng 
Except directly — the creek, the sand is spread ou 
miles in every direc 
these frente formations, the old red sandstone has 
furnished a few minute particles of gold, collected in the bed 
of Little river, aud apparently brought down from the slate 
above, and the western division of - primitive, a smal 
vein, but all the valuable mines are in the eastern division of 
Vor. nolo. I. 3 
