hy E, Cornelius. 215 



can Tiatural History, I shall be gratified, and rejoice to have 

 made even this small remuneration for your unwearied efforts^ 

 to impart to one, formerly your pupil, a love for Natural Science, 



The Author''s Route. 



My route was in a line nearly direct from Boston to New- 

 Grleans ; passing through the principal cities to Washington ; 

 thence, diagonally, through Virginia, East Tennessee, and the 

 northwestern angle of Georgia ; in a western course through 

 the north division of the Territory of Alabama, to the north- 

 eastern boundary of the State of Mississippi ; and thence in a 

 Hne nearly southwest to Natchez. From this last place I 

 descended the river Mississippi to New-Orleans. On my re- 

 turn I frequently varied from this course, and had increased 

 opportunities for surveying the country. In both instances I 

 passed through the countries belonging to the Cherokee, 

 Chickesaw, and Choctaw tribes of Indians, and travelled among 

 themj in all, about one thousand miles. 



Geology of Virginia. 



As others have described more minutely and accurately than 

 I can, the country north of Virginia, I shall begin with a few 

 remarks on the geological character of that State. It is there 

 that the traveller, in passing from the Atlantic to the interior, 

 crosses successively the most important formations of the earth, 

 from the most recent alluvial to the oldest primitive. For a 

 considerable distance from the coast, the country is alluvial. It: 

 then assumes an older secondary formation* — and sandstone 

 and puddingstone are frequent. This is the character of the 

 District of Columbia, and indeed of a great part of the valley 

 of the Potomac. 



Sandstone of the Capitol, ^c. 



In this valley, and adjacent to the river, is found the sand- 

 stone of which the President's house, and the Capitol are coa~ 



* Or, according' to th« Wenierian Geologists. Transition ' Editor. 



