MURPHREE'S VALLEY; TOPOGRAPHY. 15 



to its summit. In this case the other formations named ex- 

 tend along the outer or western slope of the mountain. On 

 account of the red iron ores which it contains, the Red Moun- 

 tain will be described in detail below, and further mention 

 here is unnecessary. 



Sand Mountain. The north-west side of the valley also 

 has an elevated rim called "Sand Mountain." Often the 

 whole of the Coal Measures lying west and north-west of this 

 valley are also called Sand Mountain, but the only portion 

 of this region that is much elevated, and presents a moun- 

 tainous character, is the elevated rim of the valley, which, 

 when seen from a distance, is always especially called the 

 "Sand Mountain/' This elevated rim extends the whole 

 length of the valley, and is usually 300 to 400 feet high above 

 the floor of the valley. Its strata are the lower portions of 

 the Carboniferous, consisting of lower Coal Measures in its 

 upper part, and the upper pftrt of the Sub-Carboniferous or 

 mountain limestone at the b&se. The dip of the strata hers 

 varies but little from 15 to the. north-west. 



While this rim has about the same elevation as the one 

 on the south-east side, it presents very different features. 

 On the side next the valley it is irregular in its slope, rough 

 and rocky, with many slides and benches, deeply gullied and 

 indented, showing throughout the wear and te^r of erosion. 

 The top is not uniform in outline or elevation. The trend 

 only approximates the direction of the axis of the valley ; 

 this however is largely due to its great but unequal erosion 

 on both sides. On its top, and beyond, it shows much evi- 

 dence of denudation, large areas of bare rock, often lower 

 conglomerate are exposed. Its slope north-west for two to 

 three miles to the synclinal trough in which the Warrior 

 river flows is gentle, and gradually diminishing. 



It has been suggested as probable that the courses of the 

 streams, and the direction of the drainage here, have been 

 changed by the uplifting fold of the valley. In support of 

 this view it is urged that the rising fold across the course of 

 the streams must necessarily have deflected them into new 



