﻿248 
  GEOLOGY. 
  

  

  in 
  a 
  direct 
  line 
  from 
  the 
  western 
  border 
  of 
  our 
  State, 
  

   near 
  our 
  principal 
  diluvial 
  beds. 
  

  

  This 
  hypothesis 
  is 
  in 
  accordance 
  with 
  facts 
  at 
  variance 
  

   with 
  the 
  supposition 
  of 
  a 
  more 
  northern 
  origin. 
  Some 
  

   of 
  these 
  are 
  that 
  the 
  northern 
  and 
  northeastern 
  counties 
  

   of 
  the 
  State 
  seem, 
  in 
  a 
  great 
  part, 
  if 
  not 
  wholly, 
  destitute 
  

   of 
  drift 
  of 
  the 
  character 
  of 
  that 
  of 
  which 
  I 
  am 
  treatins;. 
  

   The 
  channel 
  of 
  the 
  Ohio 
  River 
  seems 
  entirely 
  without 
  

   it, 
  as 
  is 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  Mississippi 
  from 
  the 
  mouth 
  of 
  the 
  

   Missouri 
  to 
  the 
  vicinity 
  of 
  Memphis 
  ; 
  the 
  character 
  of 
  

   all 
  the 
  gravel 
  I 
  have 
  observed 
  in 
  the 
  Ohio 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  

   Mississippi 
  between 
  the 
  points 
  mentioned, 
  being 
  of 
  a 
  

   calcareous 
  or 
  imperfectly 
  formed 
  argillaceous 
  description 
  ; 
  

   whilst 
  in 
  the 
  vicinity 
  of 
  Vicksburg 
  and 
  Natchez, 
  and 
  not 
  

   extending 
  below 
  the 
  White 
  Cliffs, 
  twelve 
  miles 
  only 
  be- 
  

   low 
  the 
  latter 
  place, 
  are 
  found 
  the 
  heaviest 
  deposits 
  of 
  the 
  

   cherty 
  and 
  primitive 
  formed 
  diluvial 
  gravel, 
  and 
  of 
  the 
  

   largest 
  description 
  in 
  the 
  whole 
  course 
  I 
  have 
  indicated. 
  

   To 
  the 
  west, 
  the 
  lower 
  Red 
  River 
  and 
  Washita 
  are 
  des- 
  

   titute 
  of 
  these 
  deposits, 
  near 
  Shrevesport, 
  on 
  Red 
  River 
  j 
  

   and 
  on 
  the 
  upper 
  Washita, 
  they 
  are 
  said 
  to 
  abound. 
  

  

  Assuming 
  Port 
  Gibson 
  as 
  about 
  midway, 
  measuring 
  

   across 
  the 
  stream, 
  we 
  shall 
  find 
  a 
  nearly 
  continuous 
  belt, 
  

   averaging 
  some 
  sixty 
  miles 
  in 
  width, 
  extending 
  through 
  

   the 
  State 
  in 
  a 
  southeasterly 
  direction, 
  widening 
  or 
  con- 
  

   tracting 
  occasionally 
  in 
  its 
  course, 
  and 
  perhaps 
  with 
  

   some 
  skips 
  or 
  interruptions, 
  such 
  as 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  expected 
  

   in 
  deposits 
  of 
  this 
  nature. 
  

  

  I 
  am 
  persuaded 
  that 
  the 
  width 
  of 
  the 
  stripe 
  or 
  belt 
  

   may 
  be 
  traced 
  through 
  the 
  State 
  at 
  the 
  crossings 
  of 
  the 
  

   eastern 
  streams. 
  Pearl, 
  Leaf, 
  and 
  Chickasawhay 
  Rivers. 
  

  

  It 
  is, 
  however, 
  in 
  the 
  character 
  of 
  the 
  pebbles 
  and 
  

   houlders 
  of 
  the 
  formation, 
  if 
  they 
  may 
  so 
  be 
  called, 
  that 
  

   the 
  unmistakable 
  evidences 
  of 
  its 
  foreign 
  origin 
  are 
  seen. 
  

  

  