4 1 S Expedition to the 



compact limestone. Containing few fragments rounded by at- 

 trition, being almost destitute of cement, and retaining much 

 uniformity of character in different localities, it has a mani- 

 fest resemblance to that most ancient of sandstones, which, 

 in the mountains of New England, is associated with the 

 granular limestone, and has sometimes been called granular 

 quartz.* Indeed we have no hesitation in believing, that at 

 some point near the sources of the De Moyen and Grand 

 river, the primitive rocks approach near the surface. 

 There is here a stratum of newer sandstone, superimposed 

 upon that above noticed, and hearing marks of having been 

 contemporaneous to some formation of coal, but it is not of 

 sufficient thickness in the parts we examined, to justify an 

 opinion, that it contains anv valuable beds of that mineral. 

 Leaving the immediate neighbourhood of the river, there is 

 an ascent of several miles, to the level of the great woodless 

 plain. The bottom, and part of the sides of the vallies are 

 covered with trees, but in proportion to the elevation, the 

 surface becomes more unvaried and monotonous. These vast 

 plains in which the eye finds no object to rest upon, are at 

 first seen with surprise and pleasure, but their uniformity at 

 length becomes tiresome. 



For a few days the weather had been fine, with cool breezes, 

 and broken, flying clouds. The shadows of these, coursing 

 rapidly over the plain, seemed to put the whole in motion, and 

 we appeared to ourselves as if riding on the unquiet billows 

 of the ocean. The surface is uniformly of the description, 

 not inaptly called rolling, and will certainly bear a compari- 

 son to the waves of an agitated sea. The distant shores and 

 promontories of woodland, with here and there an insular 

 grove of trees, rendered the illusion more complete. 



The great extent of country contemplated at a single view, 

 and the unvaried sameness of the surface, made our prospect 



* Eaton's Index to the Geology of the Northern States. First edition. 



