C 94* ) 
II. A Continuation of M r John Clay ton s Account *&nu$j. 
of Virginia. Number. 
Of the Earth and Soy l. 
T X /Hen you make the Capes of Virginia, you may 
VV obferve it low Land , fo that at fome diftance 
the Trees appear as if they grew in the Water % and as 
you approach nigher, to emerge thence. For a hundred 
Miles up into the Country, there are few Stones to be 
found, only in fome places, Rocks of Iron Oar appear, 
which made me expeft to have found many Waters turn 
Purple with Galls, but never met with any. Provi- 
dence has fupplied the common ufe of Stones, by ma- 
king the Roads very good : fo that they ride their Horfes 
without (hooing them ; which yet are more rarely 
beaten on their Feet, than ours are \n England, the Coun- 
try and Clime being dry, their Hoofs are much harder r 
for I obferved, that take a Horfe out of the wet Marlhes, 
and Swamps, as they there call them, and ride him im- 
mediately, and hell quickly be tender-footed. In fome 
places, for feveral Miles together, the Earth is fo inter- 
mix'd with Oyfter-ihells, that there may feemas many 
Shells as Earth ; and how deep they lie thus intermin- 
gled, I think, is not yet known j for at broken Banks 
they difcover themfelves to be continued many Yards 
perpendicular. In feveral places thefe Shells are much 
clofcr, and being petrefied, feem to make a Vein of a 
Rock. I have feen in feveral places, Veins of thefe 
Rocky Shells, three or four Yards thick, at the foot of 
a Hill, whofe Precipice might be twenty Yards perpen- 
dicular, whofe Delf, i fuppofe, (hot under the Hill, pie- 
ces of thefe Rocks broken off, lie there, which, I fuppofe, 
may weigh twenty or thirty Tuns a piece, and are as 
I i i difficult 
