236 
above which is a soft tranquil deposit, then a bed of coal, 
from two to three feet thick, over which is another tranquilly 
deposited bed of shaly clay, and above it another of sand- 
stone, z. from N 32° W. In both these beds of sandstone, 
the drifting is so clearly marked, and so very many good 
examples can be observed, that there is no room for hesita- 
tion about the direction of the currents. It would, there- 
fore, appear that, after the period of tranquillity, during 
which the fine deposits and coal were formed, the next current 
drifting sand was from a quarter almost the very opposite of 
that which accumulated the lower bed. 
I will not take up space with describing the directions of 
drifting of some small beds, detached by faults or otherwise, 
but will now give, in ascending order, a list of the chief 
beds, with their general character, and directions of the 
currents, in sections where the beds are seen continuously for 
some considerable distance in extension and thickness. From 
Whitley, passing south to Cullercoats, we have 
Sandstone — from N. 33° W. 
Sandstone — Z. from S. 3° E. 
Sandstone Z. from S. 62° W. 
Sandstone z. from S. 13° E. 
The thickness of these sandstones, drifted from various 
quarters, without any definite tranquil deposit separating 
them, must be from 50 to 100 feet. 
Soft — bed. 
Thin bed of stony shale from N. 40° W. 
Soft — bed and coal. 
Tolerably thick sandstone, bottom — Z. from N. 16° W. 
Middle Z. from N. 5° W. 
Top Z. from N. 2° W. 
This shows a tolerably uniform current during the whole 
period of its deposition, with a gradual change towards the 
North. 
