. 
200 Singular position of a Granite Rock, &c. 
Anr. IL. Account of a singular position of a Granite Rock, 
by the Rev. Exias Corneivs, (with a print.) 
Salem, Mass. April, 1820. 
TO PROFESSOR SILLIMAN. 
In communicating she following fact, it is not supposed 
that any new evidence will be furnished of a distinction 
which has long been made in the relative formation of dif- 
ferent rocks. It is offered merely as another example of a_ 
primitive limestone ; attended with such unequivocal indi- 
cations as to place its geological character beyond a doubt. 
In. the town of North-Salem, and state of New-York, 
there is a rock, which from the singularity of its position has 
long attracted the notice of those who live in its neighbor- 
hood, and from its vicinity to the public road, seldom es- 
capes the observation of the passing traveller. It has not, 
however, it is believed, ever been described. It is situated 
two miles East of the academy in North-Salem, within thir- 
‘ty feet of the main road to Danbury in VUonnecticut, upon 
the sloping brow of a small hill or bank, whose height may 
be thirty feet. Although weighing many tons, its length 
being fifteen feet, breadth ten feet, and greatest circum- 
ference forty feet; it stands elevated in different parts 
of it from two to five feet above the earth, resting its whole 
weight upon the apices of seven small conical pillars ; six of 
" these with their bases either united or contiguous, spring up 
like an irregular group of teeth, and constitute the support _ 
of one end of the rock. The remaining pillar, much the 
largest of them all, stands at the lowest point of that part of 
the surface over which the rock is elevated, and supports its 
other end. Notwithstanding the form of the rock is very 
irregular, and its surface ccensiderably uneven, its whole 
weight is so nicely adjusted upon these seven small points, 
one of which is six feet from the others, that no external 
force yet applied has been sufficient to give it even a tremu- 
lous motion. 
But the singularity of its position is not the most interest- 
ing circumstance which meets the eye of the geological ob- 
server. Upon examination, he finds the rock and its pillars 
