1208, 269, 270J lignites op holmes— panola. 163 



ever, it is likely that workable deposits will still bo found in this region, I have 

 bestowed some attention on the quality, and determined the amount of ash 

 contained in a specimen from Spear's Cut. When dry it resembles stone coal 

 rather than the lignites of Lafayette, burns with a brighter flame, and with a 

 strong odor of sulphur ; the ash, reddish brown, amounts to 17.28 per cent. It 

 contains therefore a certain amount of iron pyrites, which is finely diffused 

 through the mass, but does not cause it to crumble. 



2(38. I have not heard of the occurrence of lignite in Attala, or 

 Leake; in Madison county, however, though not outcropping, lig- 

 nite beds of great thickness have been struck in wells bored by 

 order of the Rev. J. R. Lambuth, both at Canton and at his resi- 

 dence, S. 2, T. 7, R. 2 E., near Calhoun Sti tion. At a depth, of 

 375 feet a ledge of rock was penetrated, beneath which, for 4*5 feet, 

 the auger brought up lignite, with only an occasional band of clav 

 (1322). 



In Holmes county, and generally along the bluff, from Yazoo to Tunica, lignite 

 beds seem to appear with frequency ; with these, however, I am acquamted 

 only from hearsay. A bed of lignite, 14 feet thick, inclosed between strata of 

 green clay, is mentioned by L. Harper as occurring on B. 27, T. 9, R. 4 W., 

 Yazoo county, and ho states that outcrops of the same occur frequently on the 

 bluff in Holmes county. In the latter county, there are several deposits which 

 have been currently spoken of as being of fine quality. One, according to Prof. 

 Wailes, is on S. 7, T. 14, R. IE., near Tchula Lake; another "on Funnigusha 

 Greek, to the east of the crossing of the old road near Coconovcr's old stand." 

 Other deposits in the same region have been mentioned to me ; the stratum 

 probably underlying an extensive area. 



269. I have received specimens of iron pyrites, evidently derived from a 

 lignite bed, from Carroll county, but have been unable to ascertain the locality, 

 or particulars. — I am not aware, thus far, of the existence of any lignite beds in 

 W. Yallabusha, although such probably exist on the Yockeney River. 



]n Panola county, lignite seems to be quite abundant, in the fork 

 of the Tallahatchie and Yockeney Pataf'a Rivers, its beds being of 

 great thickness and fine quality. L. Harper mentions beds ol 15 

 to 16 feet thickness, and of a glossy conchoidal fracture, ns occur- 

 ring on SS-. 8 and 10 (and no doubt on S. 1) also!) T. 10, R fc VV., 

 and according to information given mc by inhabitants, the quality 

 of the lignite as a fuel has already been satisfactorily tested. 

 These beds, occurring as they do, close to the line of the Missis- 

 sippi and Tennessee R. R., in easy conmunication with the city of 

 Memphis, afford a fine opportunity for exploitation, if the accounts 

 given of them be correct. 



Lignitic clays are mentioned by L. Harper as occurring on Cold Water River, 

 but no beds of Lignite seem to exist there. 



270. Lignite beds of the later Stages of the Lignitic. — The only 

 available bed of lignite I have observed in the lignitic beds interven- 

 ing between the Claiborne and Jackson Group, is that on Suanlovey 

 Creek at Garlaudsville. mentioned above (11 1 1)7). It is of good qual- 

 ity ; about 2 feet of it are visible above die bed of the creek, and 

 it may be of considerable thickness. — The lignitic material occur- 

 ring at Moody's Branch (1[20 1, rfec. 21), stratum No. 2) is too earthy 

 to be available. I have found chunks ol good lignite at a sandy 

 bluff on Pearl River, about one mile (by land) above Jackson ; but 



