Iron Ores. 75 



gas is discharged." How simply and beautifully this theory explains 

 this formation of pyrites. This whole valley is one vast cemetery of 

 animal and vegetable remains, and while the deposits were in a re- 

 cent and plastic state, and the animal bodies inhumed, gradually de- 

 cayed, the discharges of sulphuretted hydrogen must have been Im- 

 mense ; and very satisfactorily account for the vast abundance of iron 

 pyrites, found tn many of our rock strata. From the decomposing 

 pyrites, and the raagnesian limestone rocks containing shells, these 

 springs doubtless derive a large share of their mineral contents. 



Having completed the examination of the rock strata at " the Nar- 

 rows," we returned by a route more distant from the canal, across 

 tertiary and alluvial plains. On these plains the crab apple finds a 

 congenial soil and climate, standing in groves like the domestic apple, 

 and perfuming the air with its delicious fragrance. 



Iron Ores. — The belt of hydrated iron ore, noticed at Zoar, as 

 crossing the state diagonally, on the outer border of the coal meas- 

 ures, here maintains its relation to the other deposits and lies near 

 the top of the hills, Imbedded in clay, in similarly large tabular 

 masses. A few miles south of this place, we strike the siliceous de- 

 posit lying parallel with the ferruginous zone, and stretching N. E. 

 and S. W. nearly across the state from Pike county to Stark. At 

 its northern extremity, it widens out to nearly twenty miles, and 

 stretches off into Holmes county. It does not uniformly lie on the 

 tops of the hills, but crops out on their sides, with a thick diluvial 

 deposit over it. The general course of the deposit, may be seen in 

 the geological map of the coal measures, in the 29th Vol. of this Jour- 

 nal, but widening more at the north than there represented. 



May 20. — We reached Zanesville at 6 o'clock, a. m., in the stage 

 coach, passing over a moderately hilly and very picturesque region. 

 The distance from Newark, is twenty eight miles ; twenty two of 

 which, are ori " the national road," a work which is more creditable 

 to the Republic, than the conquest of a continent. This road is in 

 fine condition. The bridges, built on substantial arches, and crown- 

 ed with parapets of sandstone, give promise of strength and dura- 

 bility. Americans are so much in the habit of building with per- 

 ishable materials, not only their private dwellings, but their public 

 edifices, that every attempt at permanency, ought to be noticed 

 and encouraged. Along the distance of twenty two miles, no fewer 

 than six villages have sprung up, since the location of tlie road 

 in 1832. The wood lands over the last eight miles of the way, 



