APPENDIX. 



(A.) 



GEOLOGY. 



The country under consideration is of the secondary forma- 

 tion, consisting of the mountain limestone group, and princi- 

 pally, in some parts almost exclusively, of the cliff limestone. 

 It bears marks too distinct to be overlooked, of having been 

 once submerged. The shape and peculiar smoothness of the 

 surface at once gives this idea, wliich is confirmed on inspec- 

 tion, by finding among the superior strata near the surface, 

 stone composed wholly of fossil marine shells. The uniform 

 slope of the land, also, is another evidence of the same fact. 

 This feature has been mentioned in describing the physical 

 geography. It is about as regular from the Gulf to St. Pe- 

 ter's, as the bed of the sea upon one of our sand beaches, 

 and in the whole distance of more than 1000 miles, does not 

 much exceed a rise of 1000 feet, or one foot to a mile. At 

 the sources of the Missisippi and St. Peter's, we reach the 

 heiglit of land between the Gulf and Hudson's Bay, the 

 waters of Red River, wliich run into the last, starting almost 

 in contact with the two others. Indeed the passage can be 

 made in boats at seasons of high water, from St. Peter's to 

 Red River. It may be therefore regarded as a certain fact, 



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