2.14 Geology, ^c. of Tennessee, «J^c. 



Art. II. On the Geology, Mineralogy, Scenery, and Curt' 

 osities of Parts of Virginia, Tennessee, and the Alabama 

 and Mississippi Territories, <$rc. with Miscellaneous Re- 

 marks, in a letter to the Editor, By the Rev. Elias 

 Cornelius. 



To Benjamin Silltman, Professor, ^c. 



SIR, 



XJ-AVING recently returned from a tour of considerable ex- 

 tent in the United States, I avail myself with pleasure of the 

 firstleisure moment, to communicate, agreeably to your request, 

 some facts, relative to the Mineralogy and Geology of that 

 part of the country through which I passed. 



INTROPUCTORY REMARKS. 



Before doing this, you will permit me to premise, that in 

 consequence of my limited acquaintance with these branches 

 of Natural Science, and the still more limited time, which other 

 and important concerns allowed me to devote to the subject, I 

 can do little more than give a general description. What my 

 eye could catch, as I travelled from one country and wilder- 

 ness to another, preserving occasionally a few of the most 

 interesting specimens, was all I could do. The specimens you 

 have received. The narrative I am about to give, is drawn 

 principally from the notes which were taken on the journey, 

 and will be confined to a simple statement of such facts as were 

 either observed by myself, or derived from good authority. 

 Their application to preconceived theories, I leave to those 

 who have more leisure and disposition for speculation than 

 myself. 



A description of a few natural and artificial curiosities which 

 came under particular notice, will not, I trust, be thought an 

 improper digression. The whole is committed to your dispo- 

 sal ; and if it shall add but one mite to the treasury of Ameri- 



