346 Remarks on the Coal Formation of Pennsyhama. 



actually flagged with sandstone, so close as to exclude any herbage C3f 

 shrubs; the forest trees, however, have forced their vyay through tl>e 

 joints. Some of the slabs seem as true as if dressed for foot-pavements 

 in cities j they are of an elegant material, granular quartz, strongly 

 coherent, exhibiting a light pearl color, and vfhen pulverized nearly 

 as white as flour. I hope to hand you specimens on my return.* 



There are extensive settlements along the whole line of the road; 

 scarce a tract of table land, gentle slope, valley or wide glen, but is 

 under cultivation. From the innumerable caravans of six horse- 

 waggons that are constantly passed or met, it may well be supposed that 

 hlacksmiths drive a profitable trade; they are located at almost every 

 cluster of houses or near taverns, of which there are many, afford- 

 ing great facility for collecting specimens, and information of the va- 

 rious coal beds in their vicinity. The quality of the coal continues 

 to improve till we reach the Youghiogeny, where there is little room. 

 The coal on this stream justly deserves the reputation of superiority 

 to any in this whole region. I examined a large heap at Smithfield, 

 where we crossed the Youghiogeny, and could not find a single piece 

 that was not beautifully iridescent throughout and exceeded, in rich- 

 ness of tints, those elegant specimens of anthracite which I viewed 

 in your cabinet ; perhaps the fracture being cubical may have dis- 

 played them to more advantage ; the same distinctive mark of the 

 rainbow attaches to the coal on the banks of the stream till it falls 

 into the Monongahela. Owing to the length, and the difficult naviga- 

 tion, and low price of coal at Pittsburgh, it is seldom sent down there 

 and it is only at high stages of water that the river is navigable. 



We began to ascend the Laurel mountains in a few hours after 

 crossing the Youghiogeny, but daylight left us before reaching the 

 summit. The natural scenery on this ridge exceeds that of all the 

 others ; the forest trees are of larger growth, the luxuriant and beauti- 

 ful laurel, [magnolia glauca) being almost the entire undergrowth. 

 This ridge, together with Chesnut ridge, the last of the chain, and 

 which we also crossed in the nightj extends into Clearfield county, 

 on the head waters of the West Branch of the Susquehanna, where, 

 1 am informed, extensive beds of bituminous coal have been discov- 

 ered, which, from specimens in my possession, appears to be of good 

 quality ; and the time probably is not far distant when it will make 

 frequent visits to enlighten its elder brothers, the great anthracite for- 

 mations, in the valleys of the Susquehanna and Schuylkill. 



* What better material can be desired for a cement ? — Ed. 



