462 GYPSEOUS EARTH AT EVERGREEN. 



is exhibited all along tlie river bank of Coggins Point and the lands 

 above, to the Evergreen farm interrupted only by the parts of 

 marshy or more ancient alluvial lands ; or where the stratum has 

 been broken and concealed by the ancient land-slips which have 

 greatly altered the original levels and form of the surface of that 

 whole stretch of land bordering on the river and overlying the 

 gypseous earth formation. This operation by the land slipping and 

 sinking continues, and some new effects are seen every year. At 

 many places along this stretch, gypsum is perceptible in the green 

 earth, either in crystals or in powder, and sometimes, and rarely, in 

 considerable proportion, say from 5 to 15 per cent, of the whole 

 mass for very limited spaces. At the upper part of the river line 

 of the Evergreen farm (at the mouth of Bayley's creek, and two 

 miles below City Point), the river bank has peculiar and remarkable 

 features, which deserve particular notice. It was here, in 1817, that 

 I first discovered this green earth formation, and thence traced it to 

 my own farm and then residence, Coggins Point, and elsewhere in 

 that neighbourhood. 



The lower visible part of the body of gypseous earth at Ever- 

 green is laid bare by the wasting encroachment of the river (by 

 which it is rapidly washing away), for 200 yards in length. The 

 southern or upper extremity, for some 20 yards, approaches nearly 

 in appearance to the general character of the upper stratum before 

 described. But all the remainder is different, and much richer in 

 the dark or green granules than generally elsewhere. 



Since this article was commenced, Capt. H. H. Cocke, the pre- 

 sent proprietor of Evergreen, at my suggestion and request, had a 

 shaft dug for examination, which, with an extension of my own after 

 he had ceased his operations, added to the natural and higher ex- 

 posure of the section, 27 feet below the beach, and 25 below com- 

 mon high tide. The several strata of the whole section, and their 

 variations, will be described in their descending order. 



At top 



1st. Surface soil (sloping back irregularly to the table land, which 

 is much higher), on (2d) gravelly and sandy sub-soil, pervious to 

 water, of various depths lying on strata nearly all horizontal. 

 Next, 



10 feet of yellow sandy miocene marl. 



8 feet of yellowish clay (supposed eocene), intermixed throughout 

 with very small crystals and powder of sulphate of lime the clay 

 not compact or solid, but open and loose throughout. (Query : Is 

 not this the equivalent of the eocene marl at Coggins Point, 

 with its former shells and carbonate of lime completely changed 

 to sulphate of lime, and the greatest proportion dissolved and 

 lost ?) 

 5 feet of gypseous earth the general colour, green mottled and 



