58 HISTORY OF OHIO. 



The skeleton of this ancient and venerable chelonian reptile 

 was found in the ancient alluvion of the Mississippi, and near 

 the mouth of that river. 



Of the mastodon, thousands, doubtless of their skeletons 

 repose, in our alluvial deposites, which will be yet discovered. 

 They are all on what was once, the surface of the earth, 

 and are now, from four, to thirty feet below the present sur- 

 face. 



The bones have been preserved in many places, by the an- 

 ticeptic nature of the earthy matters which cover them. 



Trees are often found imbedded a great many feet below 

 the present surface. Such were found at the junction of the 

 Ohio and Erie canal, with the Ohio river at Portsmouth. Se- 

 veral trees entire, were discovered many feet under the 

 ground, on the surface of which, trees of the very largest 

 growth, had grown up, since this subterranean forest had been 

 buried. Doctor Moss is our authority for the above facts. 



Man's works, such as arrow heads, are often found in our 

 alluvial earths. Such an article — an arrow head, was found 

 ninety feet below the surface, while digging a well for the 

 Hon. Jacob Burnet, at Cincinnati. That well was dug on the 

 high plain, where the upper portion of the city stands. That 

 plain is diluvial, not alluvial. The upper level of Cincinnati 

 belongs to the same age, and to the same catastrophe of our 

 globe, that the sandsktne of our hilly region does. The cur- 

 rent which moved the sand along in it, being checked in its 

 course, by the hills on the Kentucky side of the river, depos- 

 ited its load here, creating a spot, for one of the most beautiful 

 cities of the west, to stand upon, where the citizens could be 

 high, dry and healthful — forever. 



MINERAL SPRINGS. 



THE YELLOW SPRINGS. ' 



Nine miles north of Xenia, and the same distance south of 

 Springfield, on the stage road from Columbus to Cincinnati, 

 possess strong medicinal qualities. The water is a chalybeate. 



