OF NORTH AMERICA. 
107 
Beds of coal-blende, accompanied by alum slate and black chalk, have been discovered in this for- 
mation on Rhode Island ; the Leheigh and Susquehannah rivers ; (a large body of alum slate which occurs 
on Jackson’s river in Virginia is perhaps only a part of a similar formation ;) powerful veins of the sul- 
phate of barytes cross it , in many places it is granular , as that near Fincastle ; or slaty, as in Buncomb 
county, North Carolina. 
Iron and lead have as yet been the principal metals found in this formation ; the lead in the form 
of galena, in clusters, or what the Germans call stock-werck, as at the lead mines on New river, Wythe 
county, Virginia; the tVora is disseminated in the form of pyrites; hematitic and magnetic iron ores, and 
considerable quantities of the sparry iron ore occur in beds and they are likewise disseminated in the 
limestone. 
SECONDARY FORMATION. 
The south east limit of this extensive formation is bounded by the irregular border of the transition, 
from between the .Vlabama and Tombigby rivers, to the Catskill mountains. On the north Avest side it 
follows the shore of the great lakes, and loses itself in the alluvial of the great bason of the Mississippi, 
occupying a surface from 200 to 500 miles in breadth. 
Its greatest elevation is on the south east boundary, from Avhich it falls down, almost impercep- 
tibly, to the north west and mingles with the alluvial of the Mississippi, having an outline of mountain, 
straight and regular, bounding long and parallel ranges of a gradually diminishing height as they ap- 
proach the N. W. limits. An almosUhorizontal stratification, or the strata waving with the inequalities 
of the surface, distinguishes this from the two preceding formations. 
Immense beds of secondary limestone, of all the shades from light blue to black, intercepted in 
some places by extensive tracts of sandstone and other secondary aggregates , appear to constitute the 
foundation of this formation, on which reposes that great and valuable formation, called by Werner the 
independent coal formation, extending from the head waters of the Ohio, with some interruptions, all the 
way to the waters of the Tombigby, accompanied by its several usual attendants, slaty clay and freestone 
with vegetable impressions etc. but in no instance that I have seen or heard of, is it covered or does it 
alternate with any rock resembling basalt, or indeed any of those called the newest flcetz trap formation. 
Along the S. E. boundary, not far from the transition, a rock-salt and gypsum formation has been 
found ; on the north fork of Holstein not far from Abington , and on the same line south west from that 
in Green county and Pidgeon river. State of Tennessee, it is said considerable quantities of gypsum 
have been discovered ; from which, and the numerous salt licks and salt springs which are found in 
the same range, as far north as lake Oneida, it is probable, that this formation is on the same great 
scale, which is common to all the other formations on this continent: at least rational analogy supports 
the supposition , and we may hope one day to find, in abundance , those two most useful substances, 
which are generally found mixed or near each other in all countries that have been carefully examined. 
The metallic substances which have been already found in this formation, are iron pyrites, dissemi- 
nated, both in the coal and limestone; iron ores, consisting principally of brown, sparry and clay iron 
stone, in beds; galena, Avhether in veins or bods is not acertained. The large deposits of galena at 
St. Louis on the Mississippi, have been described as detached pieces, found covered by the alluvial of 
the river, of course not in place; all the large specimens which I have scon, Avere rolled masses, this 
rather confirms the opinion , that they wore not found in their original places. 
On the great Kanawa river, near the mouth of Elk river , there is a largo mass of black (I suppose 
vegetable) earth, so soft, as to be penetrated by a pole from 10 to 15 feet deep; out of the hole thus 
made , a stream of hydrogene gas frequently issues , which Avill burn for some time. In the vicinity of this 
place there are constant streams of that gas, Avhich it is said when once lighted Avill burn for Aveeks. 
a careful examination of this place , would probably throAv some light on the formation of coal and other 
combustible substances , found in great abundance in this formation. 
