REPORT. 



GREENE COUNTY. 



As you had examined, personally, the country adjacent to the Chalk 

 bind', before we separated on our respective routes, it will be unnecessary 

 for me to make any report on that locality. 



The northern part of Greene county, included within my instructions, 

 belongs to the quaternary and alluvial period. The quaternary deposits 

 observed, consist of sands, gravel and potter's clay; these occupy the 

 highlands, extending from the Chalk bluff, on the St. Francis river, through 

 the greater part of range seven. They are spread over an area of eight 

 or ten miles in width; and their vertical thickness is from one hundred to 

 one hundred and fifty feet. 



The alluvium forms the bottom lands of the St. Francis, Cache, and 

 Black rivers. 



A locality in section 36?, township 21 north, range 7 east, one and a 

 half miles from Mr. James W. Payne's, has been rendered notorious on 

 account of a phenomenon, which induced Mr. Payne and others, to believe 

 that gold or other precious metals might be found there. The account 

 given is as follows: When Mr. Payne was out hunting about two years 

 ago, he heard a slight noise at his feet, and on looking down saw the earth 

 open to the width of three or four inches; being reminded of the memo- 

 rable New Madrid earthquake, which sunk a large district of land in this 

 count)*, this frightful phenomenon, of course, alarmed him, and he left, 

 supposing the hill was about to be engulfed. After a few dny.^, finding 

 that no serious catastrophe had taken place, he returned to view the con- 

 dition of things. On examining the ground, he became po^ of the 

 idea that the opening of the earth was a revelation, to notify him of the 



