Ten Days in Ohio. 907 
doubtful whether a shaft could be sunk to that depth, on account of 
the supposed difficulty in keeping out the water. Thusin one fatal hour, 
the silver dreams of the anxious stockholders, vanished into thin air 3 
_ and it remains to this day, a sober problem, for’naturalists and miner- 
alogists to solve, whether native silver was ever found* ina secondary . 
formation, belonging in this instance to the coal formation ; or wheth- 
er the evil genius, who is said to preside over mines, fearful of los- 
ing his charge, knocked out the plug of the salt well, to be revenged 
on the invaders of his dominions. The stratum in which the silver 
was supposed tobe deposited, is without doubt, the same found in 
sinking salt wells on the Muskingum river, fifteen or twenty miles 
S. W. of this spot, and described in the 24th. Vol. of the Journal 
of Science, in an article on the “ —_ rock formations, of the 
valley of the Ohio.” 
We left Chandlers at 3 P. M., crossing Salt Creek ona sid 
covered wooden bridge, supported by piers of cut stone. It is here 
about thirty yards wide, and unites its waters with those of the Musk- 
ingum, nine miles below Zanesville. It is & turbulent little stream, 
and, before the bridge was built, was, in rainy weather, the dread of 
all travellers. On its waters are many fine settlements and excellent 
farming lands. Three miles east of Zanesville, we came upon the 
National Road. It was in fine condition, and as smooth as a floor ; 
our horses, forgetting that they were attached to a heavy carriage, 
moved on it with much freedom. The State has taken it in charge, 
as far as it is finished in Ohio ; appointed a superintendant, and levied 
a small toll, sufficient.to keep it always in good condition. We reach- 
ed Zanesville a little before night. ‘By the road-side on Salt Creek, 
we saw many plants of the teazle, (Dipsacus fullonum,) growing wild. 
Black haw in full bloom. “Afternoon showery and cold, making our 
cloaks quite comfortable. 
MORGAN COUNTY. 
May 24.—Morgan County, through which we have just passed, 
lies on the Muskingum River, between Washington and Muskingum 
Counties. The general face of the country is hilly, but the soil is 
rich, producing fine crops of all the cereal grains. Its greatest 
wealth, however, is found in its inexhaustible salt deposit; affording 
+ A is not for us to “42 Me was the source of the small particles of silver, sup- 
to ; some specimens of the so called silver rock, which we 
received while the going on, presented no indications of silver —Ed. 
7 
