HERKIMER COUNTY. 255 



Oneonta, considerable porticm of the higher parts of Butternuts, and the south part of 

 Laurens. 



3. Herkimer County. 



This county has great length, but not much breadth comparatively. Extending farther to 

 the south than Montgomery, it contains more rocks. 



The line which separates the Primary rocks from those of the Transition class, commences 

 a short distance above Brocket's bridge on East-Canada creek, pursues a west course for 

 about two miles, and then strikes Spruce creek near Salisbury centre, and continues up the 

 creek ; and by a curve, passes to the north of Black creek, not far firom Ives' tavern ; and 

 continues on the north side of the creek, about a mile or two firom it, into Oneida county. 

 The whole of the Primary rock, with the exception of a small portion at Little-Falls, and at 

 Middleville, lies to the north of this line, extending through the wild and unsettled parts of 

 the county. 



Very httle of that region is settled ; the parts inhabited being in the town of Salisbury, and 

 along East-Canada creek to Noblesborough, and a portion of the border of Black river. In 

 general, it is thickly covered with forests, concealing the surface and its rocks. Through 

 Salisbury it is hilly, but no determinate direction noticed for its hills. In Jerseyfield, and 

 further north, the surface is more level, appearing to be divided by very low ridges, their 

 direction somewhat east and west. North of Brown's tract, from the lakes, it is hiUy and 

 mountainous, and the country very rugged. On the south side it appears to be less so, the 

 highest point of the line of dividing waters being north of the lakes. The soil, in all the 

 parts in SaUsbury that were visited, appeared to be comparatively fair, but rough ; sandy and 

 loamy in the middle or Ohio section, and rather stony in the direction of John Brown's tract, 

 on the side which faces Lewis county. Along the route to the tract, in numerous places, 

 rough rounded stones of primary rock were abundant, covered more by moss than soil ; they 

 had none of the smoothness of river stones, but had evidently been rounded by the action of 

 water. Similar stones were observed upon the top of one of the highest ridges which bound 

 the lakes on the north side, but in a depression of the ridge, where a tree had been blown 

 over. 



There were no rocks seen in any part of the region, but those of gneiss and granite, a little 

 hornblende rock, an aggregate of granular carbonate of lime and coccohte noticed in the report 

 of 1838, and some singular aggregates of a similar kind with feldspar, having the appearance 

 of a breccia, but evidently the result of accretion. These were seen at the east end of the 

 fourth lake, vrithin the borders of Hamilton county. 



Where a country is thickly covered with forest, the surface is almost universally concealed 

 by rubbish, moss, etc., so as to admit of but httle examination beyond what is required to 

 ascertain its predominant rock or rocks. Although many hunters and others have traversed 

 the region, with a view to the discovery of ores, etc., yet but one locaUty of ore is known, 



