The Arkansas advocate., 1835-07-17


 believe they will be interesting to our readers generally. We have read the report with much pleasure, and believe that it cannot fail to be attentively perused by our general readers. It IS true that there is much of the Jargon of Geology about 1t, but oar readers will remember that 1t is impossible to treat on any science without using scientific terms; and that this report is drawn scienti- fieaily,fo for national purposes, and so that ev- cry geologst in the world may understand it. It undoubtedly very exact and accurate and exhibits considerable descriptive power. It will, however, speak for itself The sub joined extracts we find in the National h. telligencer.
 In descending the southern sloFes of these petrosiliceous highlands, came up- on the valley of White river, ia Arkansas, which in some places is very broad. and cuts those highlands into two distinct por- tions. This stream, which IS very little l known in the Atlantic States, is one of the most important and beautiful rivers in the l United States. Ittakes its rise in the vest ern edge of that elevated country which has received the designation oE Ozark mountains; andj receiving several inhor- tant tributaries, some of which take their l rise north of the thirty seventh degree of i north latitude, pursues Its course for seven pr eight hundred miles of serpentine wind- l ings to is mouth south of the thirty fourth degree of north latitude, watering that fine agricultural country, amongst the most charming portion of the Territory of Ar- kansas, which IS conprehended in the caun- ty of Washington and pursuing general basterly course to its great tributary, Big Black river; near which, having reached the confines of the highland, Ii defleets to the south to mingle its waters with the Missis- 1 sippi. This latter portion of it's course lies l through the richest alluvial lands, with ex- celient steam navigation the whole distance 1 from its mouth 10 that of Big Black river, and showing an eyden! praeticability of being made navigable still further towards 1 it's sources, two hundred miles to the vest ward. Big Black river nself might be made navigable for great distance, and without much expense. 1.-the willows and aquatic shrubbery, which inlpend osef is banks 1T: those parts where 1t iS harrow, were only removed, t would be perfectly accessible to steam boats. l have deemed it proper 10 make these observations, be- cause simple improvements of this kind would lead navigation into the vicinity of those invaluable mineral deposites which have before described. and which, Hniil something IS done ot this kind, must re- main inactive, together with many other mineral substances both h Arkansas and Missouri, especially marbles and stones of eonstructlon.'
 We insert the following picture of an l American wilderness.
 !" Having trayersed the valley of White river, 1 again ascended the formations had been so long upons and with 1he same l indications wherever l went. Here again l l found inc horizontal limestone, oyeflaid by gtartZ,se sandstone, a...a ;,s!!sa knolls, but always without organic remains. It would almost seem that the waters which l deposited these beds, were teo hot to admit of animal life.& Having crossed little Red river, one of the tributaries of White River and the source and direction of which are south of this last, and proceeded some dis tance south, perceived coming change in the geological formations. Tbo sand- stone became exceedingly ferruginous; and 2, froni an eminence about forty miles from the Arkansas river, ] had a grand view ot a perfectly flat wilderness, about ten miles broad, terminated by lofty ridges running east and west There was not a patch within the horizontal bounds that indicated a settlement; nothing but a dense forest, containing, as had been informeds and as afterwards found, no water, except d few putrid pools in the bottoms of the bayons. In this grand picture of he widest Aneri- tan scenery, there was nothing to break inc comprehensive and uniform woody cha racter, but an immense conAagration that was raging in the distance, h my line Of advance, and from which rose a dense vol ume of smoke. Fires of this kind arc of ten accustomed by the inadvetence of hunt CTS, and sometimes purposey to drive game in particular directions. had often pass ed through many miles of fired land, where the smoke not oniy obscured every thing around, but where 1t was apaniul effort to ! resist fhe inconvenience It occasioned.- On extricatng myself from this arid plain 1 reached ridge with an elevation oi about q TO deg, and here perceived the geologic al formations were changed: tkerocks had become highly inclined; the sandstone had become much intermxed with narrow