AMERICAN GEOLOGY EATON! AN ERA, 1820-1829. 



2fi7 



and its included rocks and minerals. He noted that the "whole sec- 

 tion of country from the great slate formation to the Blue Ridge" is 

 granitic, containing numerous subordinate formations, such as mica- 

 slate and greenstone, with beds of iron ore, etc., and described with 

 some detail the Natural Wall of Rowan, which was supposed by early 

 observers (see p. 255) to be the work of human hands, but which he 

 rightly ascribed to the natural jointing and decomposition of a basic 

 igneous rock. The "peculiar assemblage of rocks that cross the Dan 

 River at Buckingham' 1 he classed as transition. 



In his kt conclusion " he remarked that " the rocks are not, as in most 

 other countries, particularly New England, exposed on the surface, but 

 are very generally concealed b} r a thick covering of clay and sand." 

 This he rightly regarded as having resulted from the decomposition of 

 the rocks themselves, and not due to a deluge of waters, "as might 

 at first be thought/ 1 



Olmsted was not primarily an investigator. He himself, as we are 

 informed by his biographer, always regarded it as his more appro- 

 priate sphere of effort not so much to culti- 

 vate science as to teach and 

 sketch of oimsted. diffuse it. Graduated at 

 Yale in 1813, and for a time 

 employed as tutor there, he in 1817 was 

 appointed to the chair of chemistry in the 

 University of North Carolina. While here 

 he conceived the idea of a State geological 

 and mineralogical survey and laid the plan 

 before the board of internal improvements 

 in 1821, with the oner to himself perform 

 the entire work gratuitously, asking only 

 an appropriation of $100 (to be afterwards 

 renewed or not at the pleasure of the board), 

 to defray his necessary expenses in traveling. 

 This proposition was, however, declined," only to be renewed a year 

 or two later, with the result that in 1823 the assembly authorized the 

 board of agriculture to have such a survey made and appropriated the 

 sum of $250 a y ear, for a period of four }^ears, to cany it out. The 



a Referring to this failure to secure assistance, Olmsted, under date of January 9, 

 1822, wrote to a friend: "But the Legislature (the Senate, I mean) has, it seems, 

 saved me any trouble on their account. I, however, feel most highly gratified and 

 greatly encouraged at the handsome manner in which my proposition was treated by 

 the Board of Improvement; and the readiness with which the resolution was adopted 

 by the Commons inspires the hope that something may yet be accomplished at the 

 public expense. But my feelings are too much interested in this project to yield to 

 this failure; I hope to do something by my own exertions next summer, and trust 

 the hospitality of the people of the State will make amends for my poverty. If I 

 can live (as I think I can) on the charity of the people, I don't know what need I 

 shall have of the public money; for Mr. M says he will lend me a horse." 



15. — Denison Olmsted. 



