Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 9).djvu/127

 require a thick population to exterminate bears, deer, and turkeys. The beaver is destroyed by the first hunters who invade the forests; and the buffalo retreats into more remote solitudes, almost on the first approach of white men.

The woods are principally composed of Quercus, (Alba,) White Oak; (Tinctoria,) Black Oak; (Coccinea,) Red Oak; (Primus accuminata,) Chesnut Oak; Platanus, (Occidentalis,) Sycamore; Fagus, (Ferruginea,) Beech; Acer, (Saccharinum,) {97} Maple, (sugar tree;) Fraxinus, (Americana,) Ash; Juglans, (Nigra,) Walnut, (black;) (Alba ovata,) Hickory; Laurus, (Sassafras,) Sassafras; Cornus (Florida,) Dogwood; Fagus, (Castanea,) Chesnut; Liriodendron, (Tulipefera,) Poplar; Ulmus, (Americana,) Slippery Elm; (Mollifolia,) White Elm; Vitus, (Labrusea,) Fall Grape; (Serotina,) Winter Grape.

Amongst the shrubs, or underwood, the following may be noticed as prevalent:

Rhus, (Glabrum,) Sumach; Laurus, (Benzoin,) Spice-wood; Rubus, (Fructicosus,) Blackberry; (Hispidus,) Running do.; Annona, (Glabra,) Papaw.

The prevalent strata are of slate clay, bituminous shale, and sandstone. Coal is not known, and probably has not been sought after. Rolled pieces of the latter mineral, and of granite, gneiss, quartz, and flint slate, are mixed with the sandy gravel of the streams. Dr. Drake[61] has pointed out a situation in this State, where large detached