in the Counties of New-Haven and Litchfield. 215 
My journey was through the borders of Canaan, Corn- 
wall and Kent, and although, from the nature of the country, 
there could not be much arable land, and only a very spare 
population, the eye was constantly regaled with bold views 
of mountain and river scenery, and from the more elevated 
situations, the whole face of the country seemed a collection 
of rude hills and mountains, in most instances covered with 
very dense forest, the entire consumption of which would 
seem beyond the power of any population which is ay 
ever to accumulate in these regions. 
The failure of a wheel, aud the time consumed in secu- 
ring it temporarily with cordage, caused twilight to overtake 
me, and the mountains closing around on every side and 
frowning with their dark and woody sides and ridges, seem- 
ed to cut off not only all view of any other more fortunate _ 
region, but absolutely to swallow up the road and to bar all 
escape. 
At length, the little village of Kent made its appearance, 
seeming to-be dropped in among the mountains, and almost 
secluded from the rest of the world. 
The hills and mountains which occurred between Salisbury 
and this place, were, on the eastern side of the river, almost 
invariably gneiss ; those on the West appeared to be the 
same, and without doubt they were either gneiss or mica- 
slate, or possibly in different places both. The hills pre- 
sented the same features as those on the eastern side, and left 
no doubt of the general similarity of geological structure. 
During the last five or six miles before reaching Kent, 
ranges of white primitive limestone began to attend the 
gneiss, and ran parallel with it, but at a lower elevation. 
At the places where I had opportunity to examine, this 
limestone appeared in some measure mixed with the 
gneiss by which it isembosomed. It effervesced only par- 
tially with acids—its colour was foul and yeilowish, and it was 
mixed with much insoluble matter probably derived from 
the gneiss. 
August 29.—My wheel being effectually repaired by 
smiths whom in the evening | engaged to work with the 
first dawn, I set forward early for the bed of iron ore, which 
was at the distance of several miles. A circuitous road 
was said to be very good, but 1t would lead through the de- 
files, while one across the mountains was shorter but exceed- 
