6 Gold Region of North Carolina. 



formed from rocks that have undergone decomposition in 

 their original beds. After crossing this zone in a nnmber of 

 different directions, and watching for the last sand-bank that 

 communicates a shading to the soil of the upper country, 

 there was the less danger of a mistake in regard to the pres- 

 ence or absence of analogous appearances in the counties 

 farther west, where they are believed to be altogether want- 

 ing. 



The non-existence of a foreign stratum, whether diluvial 

 or alluvial, may be inferred from such circumstances as the 

 following. 



a.) The absence of rounded pebbles and gravel through- 

 out the entire surface of the country. 



b.) An intimate agreement and resemblance, every where 

 observed, between the underlying rock, the stones scattered 

 over the surface, and the gravel, down to its minutest parti- 

 cles, in regard to composition, structure and the whole range 

 of mineralogical characters. 



c.) When the rocks do not form any gravel at all, but are 

 resolved at once by the decay of their exterior crusts into a 

 fine powder — a similar agreement between the mass of the 

 soil and those half-decomposed crusts, in respect to color and 

 other physical qualities. 



d.) Veins, whether of quartz, or of a harder variety of the 

 same rock, remaining only partially decomposed, and envel- 

 oped in soil which has proceeded from the softer portions. 

 These appearances are particularly remarkable and striking 

 'when a road passes through an ancient forest, or when a 

 gulley is worn in a declivity that has never been cultivated. 

 The veins are here seen ascending, if not to the very sur- 

 face, at least so near, as to render the existence of a diluvial 

 stratum a matter of no uncertainty. 



e.) Without descending to these minutiae, if a person mod- 

 erately acquainted with geology, will ride across the coun- 

 try, and observe how suddenly and invariably, a change in the 

 subjacent rock is attended by a change in the character of 

 the soil, his doubts, if he had any, will be removed. 



But as these marks and evidences of the absence of dilu- 

 vium occur in the gold region as well as in other parts of the 

 country, we infer, that it does not exist there, and of course 

 that the gold of North Carolina does not occur in a diluvial 

 formation. I might urge further, if further argument shall 

 be deemed necessary, the improbability that whilst a thin 



