SI 
The Oolitic series which had been! 
denied to America, 1 have found in 
the Cumberland basin, but reduced 
to a thin stratum, imbedded in 
other limestone. This Oolite is not 
the false Oolite of Europe, or 
granular sandy limestone; but the 
true Oolite, formed by small white 
hollow globules, similar to the roe of 
fishes. 
My natural geological theory of 
these western strata, w r hich was 
taught in my lectures in the Uni- 
versity of Lexington as early as 
1819 and 1820, consists in deeming 
all these formations, beds and strata, 
without exception, formed by alter- 
nate submarine eruptions of matter, 
slime or water in the primitive 
ocean, from oceanic SALSES or 
volcanoes without fire. The dilu- 
vium was formed by a flood of 
eruptive waters when the land 
had been uncovered by the ocean. 
This theory I am prepared to sup- 
port and maintain, prove and de- 
fend against all the geologists of 
England, France, America, or the 
whole world: whatever be the 
system they may have formed by 
looking at a few European or local 
formations elsewhere. 
The minerals found in them are 
chiefly iron, hematite, pyrites, lead, 
zinc, manganese, calcedony, jasper, 
onyx, chert, quartz, barytes, ame- 
thyst, beryls, spars, marlstone, bo- 
lites, nitre, salt, bitumen, sulphur, 
alum, vitriol, geodes, &c. 
22. MINERALOGY. 
Gold Mines of JV orth America . By 
C. S. R. 
The gold mines of the United 
States, were known to the Indians 
in 1539, when Soto invaded them; 
but they had the ability to bewilder 
him, and conceal them. Else this 
country would have been colonised 
or desolated by the Spaniards. 
The French of Laudoniere and the 
first settlers of Virginia also vainly 
sought them. Their knowledge 
was almost lost, when discovered 
1 again in N. Carolina towards 1804, 
The first gold sent from thence to 
the U. Si Mint was in 1814. The 
quantity was small, but has been in- 
creasing ever since. In 1830 the 
Mint received and coined §134,000 
of gold, of which 
§128,000 from N. Carolina. 
3.500 S. Carolina. 
2.500 Virginia. 
But last year, 1831, the quantity 
received and coined was §798,000: 
a prodigious increase of §670,000 
in one year. 
§476,000 from Georgia. 
294,000 N.and S.Carolina. 
26,000 Virginia. 
1,000 Alabama. 
1,000 Tennessee. 
At this rate, the southern states 
will become a gold mining country. 
The gold is chiefly found in dilu- 
vial and alluvial barren tracts 
near the primitive granitic range, 
called Blue mts.or Kitaniny, where 
it blends with the Apalachian mts. 
the southern termination of the 
gritty Alleghany. It is procured 
by washing chiefly. Some veins 
have lately been found, and begin 
to be worked. 
The Cheroki country, which is 
in the very centre of such region 
and mountains, is supposed to be 
very rich in gold, having perhaps 
veins of it in site. This has increase 
ed the cupidity of theGeorgians, who 
have invaded those mines^ and want 
to compel the Cherokis to evacuate 
the land; by nearly imitating the 
Spaniards, and making the Chero- 
kis (who are as civilized as the 
Georgians) outlaws in their country. 
Gold mines bring no solid 
wealth, they are soon exhausted, or 
the proceeds wasted. Georgia will 
find it out at her cost. Meantime 
companies and adventurers are 
pursuing this delusive search; some 
succeed, but as many fail or hardly 
procure gold enough to repay their 
expenses. But sterile • worthless 
lands are becoming valuable, and 
often sell at random and high rates 
to speculators. 
