258 Descriptive Catalogue of Rocks and Minerals. 



5. Fine white clay, from Stokes Co. — An extensive bed 

 of it is said to exist. 



6. Compact carbonate of lime, of a jetty black. Would 

 not this furnish a marble suitable for pavements? — Found in 

 Tennessee. 



7. Mica Slate, colour, emerald green, from the western 

 part of this state, (N. Car.) near the Blue Ridge. 



8. An Ore of Manganese, (bla^k oxid,) from Surry Co. — 

 Reported to exist in great abundance. 



9. Carbonate of Lime, (grey compact limestone,) from 

 the alluvial country — forms an extensive bed on the lower 

 parts of the Cape Fear, where it is burnt for lime. 



10* — 14. Varieties of the sandstone, (constituting the 

 independent coal formation?) of this state. (Amer. Journ- 

 al, Vol. I.) This formation commences not far from the 

 Roanoke, in the county of Person, and passing through the 

 counties of Wake, Orange, Chatham, and Moore, probably 

 terminates at the Yadkin. Its length cannot be less than 

 one hundred miles, and its average breadth not less than 

 from eight to twelve miles. Indications of coal are reported 

 of various places throughout this whole range; and a bed 

 of coal highly bituminous and combustible, has been open- 

 ed near Deep River, at the southern extremity of the coun- 

 ty of Chatham. The pit has been dug only ten feet deep 

 and 20 in diameter. Wagon loads are occasionally carri- 

 ed away by the blacksmiths; but wood and charcoal being 

 very cheap in the vicinity, the coal, although easily obtain- 

 ed, is not much sought for. At the surface of the ground 

 the coal appears only in a stratum of six inches ; but at the 

 depth of ten feet it has increased so much as to be two feet 

 thick. Next to the coal is a black, greasy, bituminous 

 shale, of a conchoidal fracture. The remainder of the 

 pit is occupied by clay slate, divided into very thin plates, 

 which fall to pieces when removed.! 



The pit being full of water when I visited it, I had no 

 opportunity to ascertain the dip of the strata. 



* I am not quite certain whether the sandstone formation terminates on 

 the N. at the Neuse or the Roanoke. 



1 1 regret that I cannot transmit specimens of this coal — I had several 

 pieces, some of which were iridescent, but have used them all in chemical 

 'experiment?. 



