ALLUVIAL DIVISION. 
233 
discovered between 1790 and 1800. Some bones of these animals were found in 1782, three 
miles south of Ward’s bridge in Montgomery, Orange county; another locality one mile east 
of the above bridge ; another three miles east; another seven miles northeast; another seven 
miles east; another five miles westwardly from the same bridge ; and another ten miles north 
of the same bridge, in the town of Shawangunk.* 
Bones of these animals were found in digging the Delaware and Hudson canal, in a peat 
bog between Red bridge and Wurtsboro’ in Sullivan county. Fossil bones of the mastodon 
and fossil elephant have been found in other parts of Orange county, and probably other 
counties in the First Geological District; but either no records have been preserved, or I have 
not seen them. 
Drifting Sands. 
Nepeague beach, which connects Long island with the eastern part, (which was once three 
islands separated by Great-pond bay. Fort-pond bay and Nepeague bay,) is mostly drifting 
sand, piled up into little hills and ridges, with marshy places and wet sand between. Much 
of the water of these places is tinged with iron, from changes in composition of the ferru¬ 
ginous parts of the sand. Between the beach and Nepeague bay is a salt marsh, on which 
much salt hay is cut and cured annually.t 
Much of the surface between Sag-Harbor and Easthampton, and thence towards South¬ 
ampton, is, in its natural state, a loose and drifting sand ; and unless restrained by cultiva¬ 
tion or other artificial causes, would cover the adjacent fertile fields. Many localities are 
known to the old inhabitants, that were once fruitful fields, but are now barren drift sands ; 
and others that were covered with such sands are now fertile fields, the sand having drifted 
off, leaving the heavy loamy soil to form the surface. 
One place was observed near Wainscott, where there were deep and broad wheel tracks 
on the loam, where the sand had recently drifted off. An old man present remembered, that 
when a boy, a whale had been dragged across that place, partly supported by wheels. The 
soil had been covered up by the drift sand; and again, after an interval of many years, had 
been uncovered by the operation of the same cause. 
Between Canoe place and Riverhead, the country is a deep drifting sand, except where the 
wind cannot act upon it, in consequence of the growth of bushes, dwarf pines, and small 
* Dr. James G. Graham. Medical Repository, N. Y. 1801, Vol. 4, pp. 213, 214. 
+ Those persons visiting Montauk point in the summer season, (the time when that place is most visited,) should be 
well prepared to withstand the assaults of the blood thirsty little insect called the musquito, which swarms on Nepeague 
beach in countless multitudes. My horse’s sides were blackened with them; and although provided with thick gloves and 
musquito veils, myself and lady were much annoyed. I never saw them more numerous on the Foz River marshes of 
Wisconsin, or on the waters of the Mississippi in Louisiana, or of the Red river in Louisiana, Texas, and the Indian 
country. The muscjuito veil, to afford the greatest protection, should be of thin gauze, sewed up like a bag, except that 
one seam is left partly unsewed, with a gathering string at the bottom. It is drawn over the hat or bonnet, the open part 
closes over the shoulders, and by means of the string, it is tied close around the waist. The breathing and sight are 
left unobstructed, while the access of these annoying little animals is cut off. 
Geol. 1st Dist. 30 
