OUTLINES. 
143 
The black shales near the base of the system contain beds of tire 
clay and black band iron ore, interstratified with the coal. They are 
also highly fossiliferous, especially on Deep River. Silieiiied trunks 
of trees are very abundant in the lower sandstones, as may be seen 
conspicuously near Gfermanton, in Stokes county', the public road being 
in a measure obstructed by the multitude of fragments and entire 
trunks and projecting stumps of a petrified Triassic forest ; and similar 
petrifiactions are abundant in the Deep River belt, occurring in this, as 
in the other, among the sandstones near the horizon of the coal. 
The accompanying section shows the rocks of the Deep River region, 
down to the coal. The section is that of the shaft of the Egypt mine, 
which was opened some 20 years ago and wrought quite extensively, both 
before and during the w r ar. It is in the main, a copy of that given by 
Admiral Wilkes, in his report to the General Government in 1S58, on 
the Deep River coal region. The prevalence of shales and slates is 
notable, as well as the very small proportion of sandstones ; in both 
respects, the section is exceptional. Below the slate at the end of the 
shaft, come in the bottom sandstones and conglomerates. The shaft is 
located 500 yards south of the outcrop. 
Emmons reports 5 seams of coal, separated by black slates, shales, 
black band iron ore and fire clay : and in general, he finds a remarkable 
similarity to the coal deposits of the Carboniferous formation. 
The coal with its shales outcrops along the northern margin of the belt 
at various points, for more than 15 miles; and many shafts having been 
sunk to, and through the main seam, which is the upper one, it is ascer- 
tained to be very persistent in all its characteristics and associated beds. 
The outcrops may be traced almost continuously to the gulf, 3 miles 
w T est of Egypt. The annexed map of the outcrop at this point is copied 
from a local survey made in connection with some mining operations car- 
ried on here during the war. And the section (on the line A — B) is 
added from a shaft recently sunk to a depth of 20 feet through the two 
upper seams of coal and the intervening stratum of black band. The 
dip is 32° south. The section is as follows : 
Black slates and shales, 8 feet, (from the surface). 
Fire clay and ball ore, 4 “ 
Coal, 4 “ 
Black band, nearly 2 “ 
Coal, “ 
Black slates, , at bottom. 
