FOOTNOTES:
[79] The Report from which these observations are extracted was drawn up at Smithland, Kentucky, in January, 1820, soon after the return of the exploring party from the Rocky Mountains. Since that time, opportunities have been wanting to supply the deficiency of study and comparison, for which that place, remote from all collections of books and minerals, did not afford the means. We may be allowed to mention these circumstances in extenuation of our apparent neglect of many recent innovations in geology, and of some late works, with which we had not the opportunity to be acquainted.—James.
[80] Lewis and Clarke's History, vol. i. p. 83. Philadelphia, 1814.—James.
[81] What explanation the advocates for the doctrine of the recent emersion of our continent will give of the highly and exclusively primitive character of the Rocky Mountains, we are at a loss to conjecture. The organized remains hitherto observed in the secondary aggregates along the base of those mountains, are mostly of animals supposed to have inhabited the depths of the ocean. But if the granite of the Rocky Mountains has been forced up at a recent period, where are the traces of all those older secondary, and fletz rocks, which should have intervened between it and the horizontal sandstones? If these mountains had formed the shores of that ocean, in which the greater part of our continent was so long immersed, after the elevation of the old world, we should have expected to find along their base, the remains of littoral animals, and not of those which inhabited the depths of the ocean. It would be proper, however, before we refer to the character of the Rocky Mountains, as invalidating or confirming any system of opinions, to ascertain that their eastern and western sides are in all respects similar.—James.
[82] Personal Narrative, vol. i. p. 87. American edition.—James.
[83] Pinkerton.—James.
[84] The valley of Red river abounds in limestone, often presenting the shells of oysters and other molluscous animals in a state of petrifaction, scattered in profusion over the surface of the ground, and retaining their original form entire, while on the Arkansa, the rocks are generally sandstone, no limestone being found, except of the Illinois, Grand, and Canadian rivers. Major Long's MS. Journal. Several organic relics from the country about the confluence of the Kiamesha, have been obligingly communicated by Mr. Nuttall: among these is a shell which approaches nearest to the variety of the gryphœa dilatata of Sowerby, 149. fig. 2, but the lobe is far less distinct, and the shell is more narrowed towards the hinge, and is somewhat less dilated, and much more like an ostrea. It may be thus described: G. corrugata, Say.—Small valve, flat, and very much wrinkled, and like the other, narrowed near the hinge. The beak is short, and curved upwards, and laterally, and the sulcus is very distinct. Length, and greatest breadth of the small valve nearly equal; from 1½ to 2 inches. It is in a very perfect state of preservation. Mr. Nuttall brought also from Red river, a species of ostrea, which to the eye appears hardly changed. The anterior portion of the specimens are wanting, but the greatest breadth of the remaining portion of the largest one is nearly three inches. The hinge fosse in this species is proportionably much more contracted, and smaller in every respect, than any other species of the genus we have seen; that of the specimen above mentioned is less than one-half of an inch. The specimens were evidently those of old shells, being much thickened. Another species of ostrea, a hinge fragment of an old and thickened individual, which appears to have been long, and narrow; the hinge fosse itself is long and wide. Length of the hinge more than three inches, greatest width more than one inch.—James.
[85] "A very extensive bed of native argil occurs on the right bank of the Mississippi, commencing near the head of Tiawapeti Bottom, at the Little Chain, about forty miles above the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi, and extending with very little interruption near six miles above the Grand Tower, a distance of thirty-four miles. Beyond these limits I have not observed it. Its colour is snow-white; structure fine, pulverulent; fracture dull earthy. It is amorphous, and adheres to the tongue. It does not effervesce with acids, even in the slightest degree. The bed of argil reposes on horizontal strata of siliceous sandstone, and is overlaid by shell limestone. In the vein of argil, nodules and veins of flint are arranged so as to make with the horizon an angle of about fifty degrees. The argil has been taken to New Orleans, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, &c. in considerable quantities, supposing it to be chalk, for which substance it has been used." Mr. Jessup's MS. Report.
"Flint.—This occurs in nodules and veins in a bed of native argil, above Tiawapeti Bottom. Its colours are bluish-gray and greenish-black. It gives fire with steel; fracture is conchoidal, and the edges are translucent. The veins of flint dip to the south-east." Ibid.
Imbedded in the chalk of Cape Girardeau, are occasionally found nodules of flint, which are enveloped by a hard crust of calcareous carbonate, arranged in concentric layers. Its colour is grayish-black, breaks with a perfectly conchoidal fracture, is translucent on the edges, and readily gives fire with the steel. Schoolcraft's View of the Lead Mines, p. 180.—James.
[86] Jameson in the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, Art. Mineralogy.—James.
[87] Humboldt's Personal Narrative, vol. iv. p. 171. 195. vol. v. p. 553.—James.
[88] Stoddart's Louisiana, p. 391.—James.
[89] Copper has been found in Illinois, near the sources of Cache river.—James.
[90] "Fluate of Lime.—This mineral occurs in great abundance seventeen miles south of Shawaneetown, Illinois, on Peter's creek, and proceeding about thirteen miles in a south-west direction, it again appears on and near the surface of the ground; at the three forks of the Grand Pierre creek, maintaining the same course, it breaks out in several places for near twenty miles. This beautiful and useful species of lime occurs at Peter's creek, almost invariably in a crystallized form; the crystals are universally cubes: at the three forks of the Grand Pierre creek, it occurs in masses of several feet in diameter. Both the crystallized and massive varieties, possess almost all the shades of colour and have been observed in the European specimens: viz. green, violet, blue, red, yellow, white, black, and rose-coloured. This mineral varies in transparency, some specimens being perfectly limpid, others opaque. Some of the violet and rose-coloured specimens, when recently fractured or pulverized, yield a strong bituminous odor; this character (which has never been observed heretofore as belonging to this species of lime) is perceptible only in the crystallized specimens.
"The vein of fluate of lime is apparently very extensive; very few minerals have been found associated with it, at the above localities. I saw at Peter's creek a few specimens of laminated calcareous spar, and a few of sulphuret of lead. Excavations have been made by several gentlemen who reside in that vicinity, for lead, but no veins or beds of this ore have been found.
"From examination of the situation of those specimens which I found, and the general appearance of the vein of fluor spar, I do not think that there is a sufficiency of lead ore, to reimburse the expenses that would be necessarily incurred in mining. The accompanying rocks of the vein of spar are compact limestone, sandstone, and oolite." Jessup's MS. Report.
"Concreted Carbonate of Lime, variety Oolite.—This occurs on Peter's creek, seventeen miles south of Shawaneetown, Illinois, associated with compact limestone, and sandstone, in the gangue of the fluate of lime. It is composed of globular masses, about the size of English mustard-seed, which are united by a calcareous cement; the nucleus of the globules are detached, leaving a small cavity in the centre of each; its colour is yellowish-white; fracture dull." Ibid.
"Sulphuretted Hydrogen Gas.—This gas is very abundant in the water of many of the springs and wells in Missouri territory. Its origin is probably owing to the decomposition of sulphuret of iron. Six miles west of St. Louis is a large spring of water strongly impregnated with this gas; its odour is perceptible to the distance of four or five hundred yards from the spring. It is reported, that the water has proved beneficial in cases of cutaneous disorders and rheumatic complaints." Ibid.
"Red Oxide of Iron.—This occurs, though not very abundant, in the hills near Isle a Loutre, on the Missouri river. Its texture is compact, fracture earthy. Its external colour is brownish red; its streak and powder is blood red. This variety of ore produces good iron, and yields from sixty to eighty per cent." Ibid.
"Hematitic Brown Oxide of Iron.—This variety of iron ore occurs in considerable quantity in the vicinity of the vein of fluate of lime, near Shawaneetown, Illinois. It occurs there under a number of imitative forms, such as tubular, stalactitical, nodular, botryoidal, and reniform. Its colour is blackish and yellow brown; it is easily fused, and will produce near sixty per cent. of good malleable iron." Ibid.
"Argillaceous Oxide of Iron.—This variety of iron ore is abundant in the western parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and in Kentucky, where it is almost the only ore of iron that is worked. The principal furnaces in Pennsylvania, are in Cumberland, Northumberland, and Centre counties, and on the Juniata river." Ibid.
"Columnar Argillaceous Oxide of Iron.—Near the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers, is a locality of argillaceous oxide of iron, of a columnar structure, and so rising from the surface of the ground as to have some resemblance to cypress trees. This mineral has by many been thought of volcanic origin; at least, that the cause of its peculiar form is, in some measure, connected with the operation of volcanic causes." Ibid.
"Sulphuret of Lead, or Galena.—This mineral is abundant in Missouri territory, about sixty miles south-west of St. Louis; but as I had not an opportunity of visiting the mines I cannot say any thing respecting its geological situation or quantity. There are two reservations for lead in the vicinity of the United States' Saline, Illinois. From external appearances, I should judge, the ore was abundant; but from the success of former diggings, and the situation of the ore, which has not as yet been found there, either in beds or veins, but sparingly diffused in small masses (attached to the fluate of lime) not exceeding in weight two or three pounds, I think the quantity inconsiderable. Every specimen of sulphuret of lead that I saw there, possessed a crystalline form." Ibid.
"Sulphuret of Zinc, or Blende.—Fifteen miles south of Shawaneetown, Illinois, uniform masses of argillaceous iron ore enclosed in concentric layers of slate clay, are found in a bed of slate clay. In the argillaceous iron ore small particles of sulphuret of zinc occur. This is the only locality west of the Alleghany mountains that I have seen of this ore." Ibid.—James.
[91] For sketch of Mackenzie, see Franchère's Narrative, in our volume vi, note 4.—Ed.
[92] Lafora, cited in Humboldt's New Spain.—James.
[93] The banks of the river Montmorenci, from the natural steps downward to the St. Lawrence, are composed of a lime slate placed in horizontal strata from the depth of five to twenty-four inches, each connected by fibrous gypsum of a whitish colour. Heriot's Travels, p. 88. The island of Cape Breton abounds in sandstone, coal, and plaster. Ibid. 431.—James.
[94] Schoolcraft.—James.
[95] See his speech at the opening of the session of 1822.—James.
[96] Observations on the Geology of the United States, p. 57.—James.
[97] The following are descriptions of the rocks that alternate with each other as they occur, in connection with the coal-beds at Pittsburgh; commencing with the uppermost and proceeding in a regular gradation to the lowest, that we have had an opportunity of examining.
No. 1. A loose-grained argillaceous sandstone, composed of minute grains of quartz and decomposed felspar, united by an argillaceous cement. Its colour is yellowish gray; fracture uneven; stratifications imperfect. It contains no organic remains; depth of the bed near four feet.
No. 2. Bituminous shale; natural colour brownish black, that of the streak dark gray. Before the blow-pipe it decrepitates, burns with a bright flame, emits a bituminous odour, and soon becomes nearly white. Its structure is slaty; no animal or vegetable is contained in it, small veins of clay are dispersed irregularly between the layers. Depth of the strata ten feet.
No. 3. A bed of bituminous coal; its colour is brownish black, cross fracture uneven, longitudinal slaty; fragments tabular, right angled; lustre resinous; is semihard, sectile and very brittle. Vertical and horizontal beds of indurated clay, containing a small quantity of bitumen, occur in the coal. Depth of the bed from two to eight feet.
No. 4. Bituminous shale possesses the same character as No. 2. Varies in depth.
No. 5. Indurated clay; its colour is lead-gray; fracture, in situations where it has been subjected to the combined actions of moisture and the atmosphere, irregularly slatose; in others uneven. Depth of this bed seven feet.
No. 6. Argillaceous chlorite slate, passing by regular gradations into argillaceous chlorite sandstone. Natural colour, yellowish green, that of the streak light gray; cross fracture uneven. Its powder is soft and slightly greasy to the touch; it contains no organic remains. The depth of this bed varies.
No. 7. Compact limestone, intimately mixed with alumine; it contains small veins of calcareous spar dispersed throughout the mass. Veins of angular fragments of carbonate of lime, united by a calcareous and argillaceous cement, extend irregularly through the rock. The fracture, in some specimens, is compact and earthy, in others uneven.
No. 8. Argillaceous chlorite sandstone, consisting of minute grains of quartz, chlorite slate, and talc, united by an argillaceous cement; its colour is yellowish green; fracture uneven; the powder is soft, and feels greasy to the touch; it is destitute of organic remains.
No. 9. A loose-grained argillaceous sandstone, thickly interspersed with thin laminæ of talc; its colour is light gray; fracture uneven; texture loose; it is liable to disintegration.
No. 10. Argillaceous sandstone, irregularly slatose; its colour is gray, with a tinge of yellow. Nodules of clay ironstone occur in considerable quantities through the mass of rock.
No. 11. Fine-grained argillaceous sandstone, composed of quartz and magnesia united by an argillaceous cement. Its colour is yellowish gray, which by the action of the blow-pipe passes into reddish brown. This rock contains great numbers of the impressions of the phytolites.
No. 12. Indurated clay; its colour is bluish gray, structure slatose; fracture approaching uneven; hardness inconsiderable. Impressions of small leaves occur in this, but are not numerous; they apparently consist of one species alone.
No. 13. Compact argillaceous sandstone; composed of quartz, felspar, and their laminæ of talc, united by an argillaceous cement; its colour is brownish gray. Nodules of clay ironstone occur in considerable abundance in this rock; they are formed by concentric layers, around a nucleus, which is the same in composition as the mass of their bed. Their size varies from that of a nut to an apple.
From Mr. Jessup's MS. Report.—James.
[PART II][98]
Containing the Calculations of Observations made by Major Long and Lieutenant Swift, on a tour from the Council Bluffs on the Missouri river, westward along the river Platte to its head waters in the Rocky Mountains,—thence southwardly to the head waters of the Arkansa and Canadian rivers,—and down said rivers to Belle Point, performed in 1820, under the command of Major S. H. Long, of the United States' Topographical Engineers.
Note.—The instruments used in making the following astronomical observations, were a portable sextant of 5 inches radius, graduated by the assistance of the vernier to 30˝, made by Cary, London, accompanied by a mercurial artificial horizon with a glass frame, and an excellent patent-lever watch, by Robert Roskell.
| June 20, 1820. | Meridian altitude of sun's lower limb | 72° 23´ |
| Extent of horizon, (a level sheet of water) | 700 yards. | |
| Height of observer's eye above horizon | 3½ feet. | |
| Index error—4´ 15˝. Latitude deduced | 40° 59´ 15˝ N. |
| Time from Noon, A.M. | Time from Noon, P.M. | Error of Watch. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 20, 1820. | 2h 32´ 26˝ | 2h 32´ 34˝ | 1´ 15˝ fast. Mean time. |
| 2 29 36 | 2 29 46 |
| July 4, 1820. | Meridian double altitude of star Antares, (ɑ. Scorpii) | 48° 10´ 00˝ |
| Index error—3´ 45˝. Latitude deduced | 39° 57´ 40˝ N. |
| Time from Noon, A.M. | Time from Noon, P.M. | Error of Watch. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 5, 1820. | 2h 30´ 19˝ | 2h 21´ 17˝ | 8´ 41˝ slow. Mean time. |
| 2 28 57 | 2 19 55 | ||
| 2 27 30 | 2 18 22 |
| Time per Watch, A.M. | Distance of nearest limbs. | Index error. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 5, 1820. | 7h 33´ 07˝ | 56° 09´ 26˝ | -4´ |
Daily variation of watch 1´ 41˝ losing.
Longitude deduced, 7h 01´ 23˝, or 105° 20´ 45˝ W. of Greenwich.
| July 8, 1820. | Meridian double altitude of Antares | 49° 17´ 30˝ |
| Index error —3´ 45˝. Latitude deduced | 39 23 52 N. | |
| July 9, 1820. | Meridian double altitude of Antares | 49 18 15 |
| Index error -3´ 45˝. Latitude deduced | 39 23 29 N. | |
| Mean latitude of the camp | 39 23 40 N. |
At our camp on Boiling-spring Creek, at the distance of about 25 miles from James's Peak, (the same designated by Pike as the highest peak,) trigonometrical observations were made for determining the height of the peak above the level of the adjacent country. A base of 1048½ feet was accurately measured, and angles taken at its extremities, to ascertain another side of the triangle, to serve as a base to determine the height of the mountain. The angles at the extremities of the primary base, corrected for the index error of sextant, were 104° 32´ 15˝ and 65° 28´ 45˝—and the extent of the secondary base as found by calculation, 133372.5 feet. The angles taken at the extremities of the secondary base, included between that line and the lines of vision, to an object distinctly visible at the summit of the peak, were 96° 21´ 15˝ and 81° 17´ 45˝, corrected as above. The angle of elevation of the top of the peak, observed at the extremity {xxxviii} of the secondary base, most remote from the peak, was 3° 41´ 15˝, corrected also for index error of sextant. The final result of these observations, gives for the height of the peak above the plain in which the observations were made, 8507½ feet.
In order to ascertain with precision, the angle of elevation of the summit of the peak, an artificial horizon of water was employed, and the double angle of elevation observed. The angle of elevation as it stands corrected for refraction, is 3° 39´ 26˝. The estimate as above gives the height of the peak above the true level of the place of observation, no correction having been made for the spherical figure of the earth.
Allowing the perpendicular fall of the river Platte, from the mountains to its mouth, to be on an average nineteen inches per mile, (which appears reasonable from the rapidity of its current compared with that of the Missouri,) the fall of the Missouri from the place where it receives the Platte to its mouth, to be 16 inches per mile, which agrees with the result from leveling at Engineer Cantonment—and that of the Mississippi from the mouth of the Missouri to the Gulf of Mexico to be 12 inches per mile, it would give for the height of the Platte at the base of the mountains, say at the place of the above observations, 3000 feet above the level of the ocean, and consequently the height of James's Peak would be 11507½ above the same level.
This mountain was clothed in snow for a considerable distance below its summit, when the exploring party visited it, in the middle of July, and at the same time they experienced excessive heat at its base.
| Time from Noon, A.M. | Time from Noon, P.M. | Error of Watch. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 17, 1820. | 3h 27´ 17˝ | 3h 08´ 35˝ | 15´ 03˝ slow. Mean time. |
| 3 25 58 | 3 07 15 | ||
| 3 24 36 | 3 05 54 | ||
| July 17, 1820. | Meridian double altitude of Antares | 51° 28´ | |
| Index error 3´ 22˝. Latitude deduced | 38 18 19 N. | ||
| Time per Watch, P.M. | Distance of Sun and Moon. | Index Error. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 17, 1820. | 3h 26´ 49˝ | 84° 08´ 30˝ | - 3´ 22˝ |
{xxxix} Assumed longitude 7h 01´ west. Allowance to be made for error and rate of time-piece, as before.
Longitude of Camp deduced, 7h 02´ 39˝, or 105° 39´ 45˝ W.
| July 19, 1820. | Meridian double altitude of Antares | 51° 36´ 00˝ |
| Index error—3´ 22˝. Latitude deduced | 38 14 18 N. |
| Time before Midnight | Time after Midnight | Error of Watch. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 21, 1820. | 8h 39´ 58˝ | 8h 17´ 50˝ | 17´ 19˝ slow. Mean time. |
| 8 38 38 | 8 16 30 | ||
| 8 37 18 | 8 15 1 |
| Time per Watch P.M. | Distance of Moon and Star. | Index error. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 21, 1820. | 9h 40´ 54˝ | 51° 45´ 47˝ | - 3´ 30˝ |
Variation of watch 47˝ per 12 hours losing. Error of watch to be estimated. Longitude by account 6h 58´ W. Lat. determined by subsequent observations.
Longitude of Camp, 6h 55´ 05˝ or 103° 46´ 15˝ W. of Greenwich.
| Time from Noon, A.M. | Time from Noon, P.M. | Error of Watch. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 22, 1820. | 2h 58´ 21˝ | 2h 34´ 09˝ | 18´ 06˝ slow. Mean time. |
| 2 56 59 | 2 32 47 | ||
| 2 55 36 | 2 31 23 | ||
| July 22, 1820. | Meridian double altitude of Antares | 51° 40´ | |
| Index error—3´ 30˝. Latitude deduced | 38 12 22 N. | ||
| Aug. 6, 1820. | Meridian of altitude sun's lower limb | 71° 52´ |
| Extent of natural horizon, or sheet of water | 82 yards. | |
| Height of observer's eye above horizon | 38 inches. | |
| Index error of sextant | - 3´ | |
| Latitude deduced | 35° 16´ 19˝ N. |
| Aug. 22, 1820. | Meridian double altitude of moon's lower limb | 72° 18´ 15˝ |
| Index error—4´ 00˝. Latitude deduced | 35 26 29 N. |
| Time from Noon, A.M. | Time from Noon, P.M. | Error of Watch. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 31, 1820 | 3h 27´ 43˝ | 2h 23´ 40˝ | 31´ 52½˝ slow. Mean time. |
| 3 26 21 | 2 22 18 | ||
| 3 24 55 | 2 20 57 |
| Times per Watch, A.M. | Double altitudes of sun's upper limb. | Index error. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 31, 1820. | 10h 29´ 20˝ | 121° 18´ 00˝ | - 4´ Error and variation of watch to be allowed. Lat. by account 34° 57´ N. |
| 10 30 24 | 121 32 00 | ||
| 10 32 05 | 121 52 30 | ||
| 10 33 12 | 122 06 30 | ||
| 10 34 13 | 122 17 30 | ||
| Mean 10h 31´ 51˝ | 121° 49´ 18˝ | ||
| Latitude of Camp deduced from the above | 34° 57´ 35˝ | ||
| Time per Watch, A.M. | Distance of Sun and Moon. | Index error. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 31, 1820. | 7h 32´ 06˝ | 77° 50´ 15˝ | - 4´ |
{xli} Allowance to be made for error and variation of watch. Longitude by account, 6h 26´ W.
Longitude deduced, 6h 26´ 12˝, or 96° 33´ 00˝ W. of Greenwich.
| Sept. 9, 1820. | Meridian double altitude of sun's lower limb | 120° 13´ 00˝ |
| Index error - 4'. Lat. deduced | 34 50 15 N. |
| Sept. 14, 1820. | Meridian double altitude of sun's lower limb | 116° 22´ 00˝ |
| Index error - 4´. Latitude deduced | 34 51 07 N. | |
| Sept. 15, 1820. | Meridian double altitude of sun's lower limb | 115 36 00 |
| Index error - 4´. Latitude deduced | 34 51 00 N. | |
| Sept. 16, 1820. | Meridian double altitude of sun's lower limb | 114 50 30 |
| Index error - 4´. Latitude deduced | 34 50 35 N. | |
| Mean latitude of Belle Point | 34 50 54 N. |
| Time from Noon, A.M. | Time from Noon, P.M. | Error of Watch. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 15, 1820. | 3h 41´ 21˝ | 3h 36´ 32˝ | 2´ 47˝ fast. Mean time. |
| 3 38 35 | 3 33 46 |
| Time per Watch, P.M. | Distance of Sun and Moon. | Index error. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 15, 1820. | 3h 55´ 46˝ | 93° 59´ 30˝ | - 4´ |
Allowance for error of watch as usual. Longitude by account, 6h 18´ west of Greenwich.
Longitude of Belle Point deduced from the foregoing data, 6h 17´ 24˝, or 94° 21´ 00˝ west of Greenwich.