31 



found on the Tuckaboe creek of James river, and no 

 doubt will be found in otber phices. Chalk is said to 

 be in Botetort and Bedford. In the latter county is 

 some earth believed to be gypseous. Ochres are found 

 in various parts. 



In the lime stone country are many caves, the earthy 

 floors of wbich are impregnated with nitre. On Rich 

 creek, a branch of the Great Kanhavvay, about 60 miles 

 below the lead mines, is a very large one, about 20 

 yards wide, and entering the hill a quarter or half a 

 mile. The vault is of rook, from 9 to 15 or 20 feet 

 above the floor. A Mr Lynch, who gives me this ac- 

 count, undertook to extract the nitre. Besides a coat 

 of the salt wbicb had formed on the vault and floor, he 

 found the earth highly impregnated to the depth of 

 seven feet in some })laces, and generally of three, every 

 bushel yielding on an average three pounds of nitre. 

 Mr Lynch having made about 10001b. of the salt from 

 it, consigned it to some others, who have since made 

 10,0001l». Tliey have done this by pursuing the cave 

 into the hill, never trying a second time the earth they 

 have once exliausted, to see how far or soon it receives 

 another impregnation. At least fifty of tbese caves are 

 worked on the Greenbriar. There are many of them 

 known on Cumberland r'ver. 



The cotintry westward of the Alleghaney abounds 

 with springs of common salt. The most reniarkable 

 we have heard of are at Bullet's lick, the Big bones, 

 the Blue licks, and on the Nortli fork of Holston. The 

 area of Bullet's lick, is of many acres. Digging the 

 earth to the depth of three feet, the water be^iius to 

 boil up, and the deeper you go, and the drier the iveoth- 

 er, the stronger is the brine. A thousand gallons of 

 water, yield from a bushel to a bushel and a half of 

 salt, which is about 8()lb. of water to lib. of salt; but 

 of sea water 251b. yield lib. of salt. So that sea water 

 is more than three times as strong as that of these 

 springs. A salt spring has been lately discovered at the 

 Turkey foot ou Yohoganey, by which river it is over- 

 flowed, except at very low water. Its merit is not yet 



