8 
GEOLOGY OF THE FOURTH DISTRICT. 
rous rocks had not been clearly pointed out; and it was the general belief that these masses, 
continuing westward from Salina, bordered Lake Ontario. In this manner two very distinct 
formations were confounded with each other, and the mistake gave rise to much difficulty and 
disappointment; for as the sandstone of Lake Ontario every where contained salt springs, it 
was inferred, that by boring to a sufficient depth, water could be found of the quality of that 
at Salina. Numerous attempts of this kind were made, and always resulted in failure, for 
the reason that the former seems less abundant in saline matter than the latter, and also that 
there is no situation along its range to act as a reservoir, like the great depression of the 
Onondaga valley. 
The difficulty of identifying strata at different and distant points, gave rise to many errors. 
As an instance of this, the limestone of Black-Rock was always supposed to rest upon, and 
constitute a part of the Niagara limestone, while the whole Salt group which intervenes had 
been overlooked. This arose from the preconceived opinion that the Salt group was north of 
the terrace at Lewiston, and consequently the two limestones in question could be separated 
by no known rock. 
In this state of things, it is not surprising that mining, and borings for salt water, should 
have been made in all situations and in every rock. Having no guide in geological indications, 
any situation presenting some remote analogies, or the existence of some peculiar substance, 
was sufficient inducement to undertake extensive explorations ; and had it not been that the 
purse usually failed sooner than the zeal of the individuals, we might have had some fine 
artificial exhibitions of our strata. 
As an example of the slight grounds upon which explorations are undertaken, it may be 
mentioned, that almost every rock containing carbonaceous matter, or possessing bituminous 
odor, has been bored or excavated for coal; and the presence of bitumen in any rock, is by 
many considered an unerring indication of the existence of this mineral. Not less futile or ill 
founded are the explorations induced by the presence of iron pyrites, or a few glimmering 
scales of mica, which have given origin to mining operations on a small scale in innumerable 
places. These illusions, however, are fast vanishing before the diffusion of more accurate 
information, and a few years will see every one in possession of the requisite knowledge to 
direct his inquiries aright. 
In all attempts to reconcile the rocks of America with the geological arrangements of 
Europe, the difficulties arose from certain remarkable differences between the formations 
of the two countries; such as the existence of successive and extensive limestone deposits 
in the eastern portion of the United States, with—as we have now learned—the absence of the 
carboniferous limestone of Europe, the most important limestone there known as existing 
below the coal. These limestones agreed with none at that time described, and as they pos¬ 
sessed some general characters (containing corals and encrinites) in common with the carbo¬ 
niferous limestone, they were referred to the same period. 
A glance at the treatises on geology which have appeared in England during the last thirty 
years, will give the history of progress in this part of the subject there, where so many 
observers, with so great facilities, have been constantly at work. It must be recollected also 
