Geology of North Carolina. 249 



ascertained the height of this mountain to he one thousand eight 

 hundred and thirty three feet, and consequently two hundred and 

 eighty two feet greater than the highest point of the Pilot. 



From different persons who had attended us in our rambles over 

 these mountains, we had heard frequent mention made of the pin- 

 nacles of the Dan — remarkable eminences, where the head waters 

 of the Roanoke find their way through the Blue Ridge. Every 

 one who had visited this spot, described its scenery in terms that 

 made us impatient to see it ; and, though it is within the limits 

 of Virginia, and therefore aside from the route which we had 

 prescribed to ourselves, yet our curiosity was too much awaken- 

 ed to permit us to rest, and we set off for this region of won- 

 ders. A day's ride from Moore's mountain brought us to the 

 base of the Blue Ridge ; and having provided ourselves with 

 guides, we set off early in the morning for the pinnacles of the 

 Dan, and reached the top of the ridge long before the sun, (which 

 shone gloriously on the conical mountains that form an interes- 

 ting series a little eastward of the main ridge,) had removed 

 the vale of night from the profound vallies that lay at our feet. 

 I cannot, without wandering too far from the principal objects of 

 this Report, attempt a description of the feelings with which we 

 traversed this region of the clouds, where " Great Nature dwells 

 in awful solitude." The ridge is so well defined in some places, 

 that we were at one time within a stone's throw of the waters 

 that empty into the Mississippi on the one side, and of those that 

 empty into the Atlantic on the other. Of the former are the 

 head waters of New River, and of the latter are the remotest 

 fountains of the Yadkin and the Roanoke. The pinnacles of the 

 Dan are sharp conical peaks, rising twelve or fifteen hundred 

 feet above the bed of Dan river, and converging so nearly to a 

 point, that one standing on the vertex may almost reach round 

 the mountain with his cane. There are several of these sharp 

 peaks which together constitute the "pinnacles." The mica 

 slate rocks at their base project their perpendicular strata (cal- 

 led by the inhabitants saw teeth) into the stream, first on one side 

 then on the other, forcing it in a zigzag course down the declivi- 

 ty, and maintaining an obstinate and angry conflict with its 

 waters. 



In the primary region of North Carolina are several min- 

 eral springs, two of which are described in the Report. 

 From an analysis of the Catawba Springs, Prof. O. concludes 

 that their chief mineral ingredient is sulphate of lime, (eigh- 

 ty-eight grains in a gallon,) with eight grains to the gallon of 

 sulphate of magnesia. The Rockingham Springs appear to 

 be more strongly impregnated. Some slight experiments 



Vok. XIV.— No. 1. 6 



