V 



94 White Sulphur Spring. 



are scattered over its surface. The whole face of the valley Is . 

 broken into hills, with here and there tolerably smooth intervals, 

 denominated '' levels/' sufficiently large for considerable settlements. 

 It is not uncommon for pretty large streams to sink and pass tinder 

 ground for several miles and then rise again to the surface. Sink- 

 ing creek, a branch of the Grqenbrier, passes under a large hill, 

 near the State turnpike. Before its descent, the water is pellucid ; 

 when it cmerc^es, the current is turbid and muddy, changing its name 

 to Muddy creek. In this manner, it is probable, many of the large 

 caverns were formed. The situations of some of the most cele- 

 brated and interesting are marked on the map. They are very ex- 

 tensive, some not less than three or four miles in length. The lime- 

 stone rocks in the upper end of the valley, are filled with madre- 

 pores and coralhnes ; lower down, the imbedded remains of many 

 species of small Pectens and radiated Encrini are most common. 

 Coal is found on some of the branches of the river, but rarely in 

 the center of the valley. A bed has been opened on Howard's 

 creek on the south side of the river, near the foot of the Alleghany 

 range, and also on the sides and spurs of the Sewell mountain ; 

 but ceases where the limestone rock prevails, or is buried deep be- 

 neath it in the sandstone, on which the calcareous deposit reposes. 

 In this valley, are many celebrated mineral springs, deriving a large 

 ^hare of their sanitary qualities from the magnesian limestone, 

 through which they pass ; the compounds of this mineral being 

 found, in greater or less quantities, iu nearly all the medicinal waters 

 of this region. The most celebrated of these are the white sulphur, 

 the red sulphur, the blue sulphur and the salt sulphur; the places 

 of each being marked on the map. The sweet and warm springs, 

 - lying south of the Alleghany mountain, are without the limit of my 

 remarks'. A number "of these springs are but just rising into de- 

 served celebrity. 



White Sulphur Spring. 



This spring is on Howard's creek, near the western base of the 

 Alleghany mountains. It is the most celebrated of the springs, and 

 at present haf a larger number of visitors than any other. It takes 

 Its name from the white sediment, deposited along its margin, after 

 parting with the sulphuretted hydrogen which held it in solution. 

 This sediment, when subjected to heat, bums and emits the strong 

 smell of sulphur. These waters are said to be more purgative than 



