46 



DE8CR[PTI0N 



necticut, and at the Palisadoes on the river Hudson. It ap- 

 pears from the observations of Dr. Z. Pitcher, and of Mr. 

 Schoolcraft, that it once existed in hirge quantities on Lake 

 Superior ; and Dr. E. James found numerous table rocks of 

 basalt, between the Mississippi and Rocky Mts.* The lava, 

 in all its varieties, is in abundance at Vesuvius in Italy. 

 AlongErie II. DiLuviON. Deposites made by the deluge. Subdivis- 

 ions. Proper dilavion, along the Erie Canal, from Little Falls 

 to near Genesee River — also, under the city of Troy south of 

 the culvert. UUimale diliwion, in all the ancient elevated for- 

 ests of New-Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, &c. 



III. Post diluvion. Subdivisions. Gravel or pehhles, 

 forty feet in depth, form the bed of the Hudson from the head 

 of tide water at Troy to near Albany. Seven miles below 

 sediment more or less fine is seen in the bottom of the river. — 

 Dr. Hayden, of Baltimore, has given numerous localities of 

 this kind, without any other object than that of giving us sim- 

 ple truth. 



Works of Works of art are found in this formation, which distinguish- 

 art 



es it from diluvion. It is a curious fact, that no works of art 

 are found in the diluvion. It seems to prove, that durable 

 works of art were not common before the deluge ; and that 

 pasturage was the chief employment of the antidiluvians. 



IV. Analluvion. This is the detritus, formed by the 

 disintegration of the exposed surface of all rocks, and remains 

 on or near the place of disintegration. Subdivisions, Argil- 

 laceous, when the detritus is fine and adhesive. Granulated^ 

 when in coarse grains, or friable. The character of the soil 

 thus made depends on the character of the rock disintegrated. 



Depends This is the only kind of soil, which is dependent on the under- 



on under- . > r» 



laying rock, laymg rock lor its character. 



* I received a complete suit of Basaltic specimens, with their most impor- 

 tant associations, from Nova-Sco(ia; obligingly presented bv Messrs. Alger 

 and Jackson, of Boston. They a>f^ precisely like those of the Connecticut 

 and Hudson rivers. See Siiljman's Journal. 1 rejoice that Boston contains 

 at least two " matLer-of facV geologists. Ignorant puffing reviewers look too 

 small for a town, so long mo»t pra-eminent in literature. 



