51 



those which proceed from ordinary gun-flint. Another piece pos- 

 sessed the blackness of ebony, and had as high a degree of polish, as 

 the smoothest glass. Another specimen was almost entirely invested 



with a crust of most brilliant crystals. Another-^ but I must not 



pretend to describe the various beautiful and astonishing objects I 

 beheld. So great was the variety which passed before my eyes, and 

 so much was my mind engaged in forming fruitless conjectures, 

 respecting the ambiguous nature of these wonderful bodies, that my 

 recollection of them is rendered confused, and my total ignorance 

 respecting them, prevents my possessing appropiate words to form 

 their description. 



I was mortified to find that Mr. Inman, himself, was not able to 

 furnish me with any real information respecting them : he merely 

 stated it to be his opinion, that they had been buried ever since the 

 days of Noah ; and had, by the great length of continuance under 

 ground, suffered this surprising change. 



On a subject so exceedingly interesting, the mind, not satisfied 

 with vague conjecture, seeks for somewhat like explicit information: 

 or is, at least, anxious to ascertain, how far investigation has been 

 successfully employed, on such questions as may tend to explain, 

 how vegetables could thus be converted into the hardest stone ; or 

 by what means they could be preserved, during so long a period, as 

 that which must have existed, between the time of their commit- 

 ment to the earth and of their transmutation. 



On the following morning, our kind host conducted us up the 

 mountain, and showed us the spot where, on the day before, he 

 had found the pieces of wood we had seen. We, therefore, eagerly 

 set to work, here, with a small mattock, which he had purposely 

 provided, and were so fortunate as to find two or three good speci- 

 mens, which, I assure you, we carefully preserve, purposing to add 

 them to your collection ; but on this condition, that, in your next 



