298 Expedition to the 



mote from corn mills, use no other bread than such as we 

 now saw prepared within the space of an hour, from the 

 standing corn. Such ears are selected as are fit for roasting, 

 and the corn grated from the cob, by means of the side of a 

 tin lanthron, or some portion of an old coffee pot punched 

 full of holes. In this state it forms a soft paste, which, with 

 the addition of a little salt, is spread upon a heated stone, or 

 an iron pan, and baked before the fire. 



The Cove is a vallev commencing among the mountains, 

 at no great distance to the east of the Hot Springs, and con- 

 taining a small rivulet, which enters the Washita six or 

 eight miles below Keisler's. This valley is bounded towards 

 the west by loamy hills, disclosing at intervals, cliffs and 

 ledges of clay slate and petrosilex. In the lowest part of 

 this valley at a place called Roark's settlement, we discov- 

 ered a bed of granite, forming the basis of a broad hill which 

 rose by a very gradual ascent towards the east. We were 

 directed to the examination which brought us acquainted 

 with the existence of this rock, by the representation of 

 Roark, that in his cornfield not far from the house, was a 

 bed of plaister of Paris. Being conducted to the spot, we 

 found a quantity of loose granitic soil, that had been raised 

 from a shallow excavation, and was intermixed with nume- 

 rous large scales of talc. The examination had been carried 

 a few feet below the surface, and had terminated upon the 

 granite in question, abounding in shining scales of talc and 

 mica, which had been mistaken for plaister. Having col- 

 lected several beautiful masses of an aggregate of feldspar, 

 talc, and quartz, we returned to the house where our break- 

 fast was in preparation. Being informed by our landlord, 

 that blue vitriol, native copper, and other interesting mine- 

 rals, had been formerly discovered near the sources of the 

 little brook that ran past the house, we delayed our journey 

 for some time, that we might continue our examination. In 

 following the brook towards its sources, we were much gra- 



