86 Geology of the Valley of the Little Kenawha. 



rounding forests for food. At her return, she often brought with her, 

 as a companion, one or more of the wild deer of the wood, which at 

 that day, were far more numerous than the domestic cattle of the 

 present period. On approaching the cabin, the wild animal gene- 

 rally made a halt, to examine the strange appearances around him. 

 Taking advantage of this stop, the liunter, who had notice of their 

 approach from some of his children, discharged his rifle, and seldom 

 failed in securing his new visiter. Without leaving his cabin, he had 

 killed fourteen deer in .one summer and autumn, by the innocent aid 

 of his little pet. 



Geology of the Valley of the Little Kenawha. 



In that portion of this region, below the spurs of the mountains, 

 much of the surface soil is red or brown, being formed from the de- 

 composing beds of clayey marl, or shale, which are here found of 

 great thickness and extent. Sandstone is the prevailing rock. 

 Limestone is rarely found, except in the beds of some of the streams. 

 Huge, mural cliffs are common on some of the branches. Coal is 

 found in many places, but in much thinner beds than in the valley of 

 the Monongahela, about Clarksburgh. Lead ore is said to have 

 been found in detached masses on Hews's river, but no regular veins 

 have as yet been discovered. 



Petroleum. 



About six miles from the mouth of Hews's river, there is an ex- 

 tensive spring of petroleum. It is found along the margin of the 

 stream in a bed of gravel, for the distance of four or five miles. At 

 low stages of the water, it is seen floating on the surface of the 

 stream. The manner of collecting it is by digging trenches along 

 the margin of the creek, down to this bed of gravel, a few feet below 

 the surface. By opening and loosening with a spade or sharpened 

 stick, the gravel and sand, which is only about a foot thick, the oil 

 rises to the surface of the water, with which the trench is partially 

 filled. It is then skimmed off with a tin cup or some other suitable 

 vessel, and put up in barrels for sale, or domestic uses. In this way 

 from fifty to a hundred barrels are collected in a season ; and much 

 more could be gathered if the demand required. In the adjacent 

 hills is a thin bed of coal ; and coal is found in abundance near this 

 place ; but the source whence this petroleum flows must be deep in 

 the earth, and the material which furnishes it, vast in dimensions. 



