Rocky Mountains. 439 



r 



The Alleghany mountains have been long since pointed 

 out by attentive observers, as a great natural barrier, destined 

 finally to become the line of separation between two exten- 

 sive territories; embraced within the present boundaries of the 

 United States, but unconnected by any physical ties, sufficiently 

 strong to ensure the permanent unity of a great empire. It is 

 now we believe, fully ascertained (if it can ever have been 

 doubted) that the foreign communication from almost every 



zontal beds of indurated clay, containing a small quantity of bitumen, oc- 

 cur in the coal. Depth of the bed from two to eight feet. 



No. 4. Bituminous shale. Possesses the same charcters as No. 2. Va- 

 ries in depth. 



''No. 5. Indurated clay; its colour is lead gray, fracture in situations 

 where it has been subjected to the combined actions of moisture and the 

 atmosphere, irregularly slatose, in others uneven. Depth of this bed se- 

 ven feet. 



No. 6. Argillaceous chlorite slate passing by regular gradations i'nto 

 argillaceous chlorite sandstone. Natural colour, yellowish green, that of 

 the streak light gray, cross fracture uneven Its powder is soft and slight- 

 ly greasy to the touch; it contains no organic remains. The depth of this 

 bed varies. 



No. 7. Compact Limestone, intimately mixed with alumine, it contains 

 small veins of calcareous spar dispersed throughout the mass. Veins of an- 

 gular fragments of carbonate of lime, united by a calcareous and argilla- 

 ceous cement, extend irregularly through the rock. The fracture in some 

 specimens is compact and earthy, in others uneven. 



No. 8. Argillaceous chlorite sandstone, cousistiog of minute grains of 

 quartz, chlorite slate, and talc, united by an argillaceous cement: its co- 

 lour isyellowish green: fracture uneven, the powder is soft and feels grea- 

 sy to the touch, it is destitute of orgai'iic remains. 



.No. 9. A loose grained argillaceous sandstone, thickly interspersed 

 with thin laminae of talc: its colour is light gray, fracture uneven, texture 

 loose, it is liable to disintregation. 



No. 10. Argillaceous sandstone, irregularly slatose; its colour is gray, 

 with a tinge ofyellow. Nodules of clay iron stone occur in considerable 

 quantities through the mass of rock. 



No. 1 i. Fine grained argillaceous sandstone, composed of quartz, and 

 magnesia, united by an argillaceous cement. Its colour is yellowish gray 

 which by the action of the blow pipe, passes into reddish brown. This rock 

 contains great numbers of the impressions of the phylohtus. 



No. 12. Indurated clay, its colour is bluish gray, structure, slatose; 

 fracture approaching uneven, hardness inconsiderable. Impressions of 

 small leaves occur in this, but are not numerous, they apparently consist 

 of one species alone. 



No. 13. Compact argillaceous sandstone, composed of quartz, feldspar, 

 and thin laminae of talc, uriited by an argillaceous cement, its colour is 

 brownish gray. Nodules of clay iron stone occur in considerable abun- 

 dance in this rock, they are formed by concentric layers, around a nucle- 

 us, which is the same in composition as the mass of their bed. Their size 

 varies from that of a nut to an apple. 



■Jessnp't Ms. Report. 



