University of Virginia Library

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159

V. Mineralogy

FROM the Donation Book of the American Philosophical
Society, already described under the division of
Botany—p. 151, ante. The language of the original
entry is apparently that of Lewis and Clark themselves. The
italicized comments in brackets are doubtless by some contemporary
scientist connected with the Society's museum.
The letter H is, apparently, the check mark of a receiving
clerk.—Ed.]

M. Lewis' Donation continued 16 Nov. 1805.

No. 1.

• Specimen of compact salt formed by concretion & found
  adhering to the rocks, thro' which a Salt fountain Issues, situated on the
  South Side of the Southern Branch of the Arcansas River, called by the
  osage Indians Ne-chu-re-thin-gar. [Muriat of Soda. This salt beyond
  all doubt is formed in consequence of water, we held it in solution, having
  been evaporated in consequence of exposure to the sun's rays & atmosphere.
  The crystals are small cubes heaped together and in every respect resemble
  those procured by art.]

2.

• Found just above the entrance of the cannon Ball river, the
  butt[e] is principally composed of this sand & strongly impregnated
  with a substance supposed to be blue vitriol. [Sulphat of Iron in consequence
  of the decomposition of Pyrites.]

3.

• Flint found at the white Chalk Bluffs 1804.

4.

• 23 Aug, 1804, found exuding from a Strata of sand rock on
  [one] of the Bluffs. [Much resembles the "Atrament stein" of the Germans
  found near Goslar, and consists principally of Sulphate of Iron derived from
  decomposed Sulphuret of Iron, intermixed with Clay.]

5.

• Specimen of the Sand of the Missouri. [It is siliceous sand with a
  mixture of particles of Mica.]

6.

• Augt 21, 1804. In the Interstices of a blue clay which forms
  the majority of the Bluffs, Strata of all earth or Stone make their
  appearance & Horizontal. [Alum formed in consequence of a decomposition
  of aluminous Shistus [schist]—& Sulphat of Lime on the lower surface
  crystallized.]

7.

• Petrefaction on the Missouri, May 30, 1804.

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8.

• Found among the loose earth of the Bluff 23 Aug. 1804 [regular
  crystals of Gypsum or Sulphat of Lime. Trapezoid.]

9.

• a Petrified Jawbone of a fish or some other animal found in a
  cavern a few miles distant from the Missouri S. side of the
  River. 6 Aug. 1804, found by Searjant Gass.

10.

• a Specimen of Earth which forms a narrow Strata in the Bluffs
  above the Sand rock & beneath a large strata of blue earth
  Aug. 22, 1804. [Tripoli nearly colourless & shistose.]

11.

• Generally met with on the Surface of the earth in the level
  plains & is very common from the calumet Bluff to Fort mandan.
  [Clay with aluminous impregnation derived from decomposed shistus.]

12.

• Pebble found at the entrance of the River Quicourré. [Agatised
  Flint.]

13.

• 22d Aug. 1804. found occupying the interstices of a blue clay
  which forms the middle Strata of the Bluff & is about 15 feet in
  Depth, [same as No. 6.]

14.

• Specimen of the granulated spontaneous Salt, found at the licks
  on Salt River bran [ch] of the River Platte, obtained from the
  Oteoes. [Muriat of Soda in form of an efflorescance.]

15.

• Sept. 1, 1804. found exuding from a Strata of firm, blue
  earth which forms the majority of the River Bluffs [a yellowish
  clay, probably arising from decomposed Slate.]

16.

• Presented to me by a Mr. Griffith near the entrance of the Missouri.
  This mineral was presented me by a Mr Griffith who
  informed me that it had been procured from an earth, found in a
  cave of limestone rock on the Mississipi a few miles from the entrance
  of the Missouri, by the same process observed in extracting
  saltpêtre from the earth of Caverns. [a mixture of different
  kinds of Salts.]

17.

18.

• Aug. 22 On the Upper part of the Bluff.

19.

20.

• Aug. 22, 1804 Is usually found incrusting or overlaying a
  black Rock which crowns the Summits of most of the river
  Hills in this quarter. [Sulphat [of] Lime?]

21.

• a specimen of a firm blue earth which formed a large strata of
  the Bluffs which we passed from 21 Augt. to 15 Sep. 1804.
  [Aluminous Shistus in a state of decomposition.]

22.

• found at the Calumet Bluff. [also resembling" Atramentstein"
  similar to No. 4.]

23.

• Salt obtained the 17 Sep. 1804 overlaying a dark blue Clay on
  

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  the sides of the river hills, it is so abundant that it impregnates
  the little rivulets in Such a degree that the water is unfit to
  drink. [Alum intermixed with Clay.]

24.

• Carbonated wood found on the Std. side of Riv[er] near fort
  Mandane 60 feet above high water mark in the Bank Strata
  6 Inch thick.

25

• Precipitate of one pint of Missouri water weight 80.65 grs
  [p[r]incipally common Clay.]

26.

• Pebbles common to the Sand Bars of the Missouri. [Agatised
  flint & small quartzose pebbles.]

27.

• Specimen of lead ore of Bertons mine on the Marimeg River.
  [Galena or sulphuret of Lead.]

28.

• Green Earth, Presented by Mr. Charbono, who informed me
  that the natives procure this earth in the neighborhood of the
  Rocky mountains, but cannot point out the place. The Indians
  mix this Earth with glue & paint their arrows with it, when
  thus boiled with Glue it gives a fine green color to wood, but
  easily yields to Water the Indians also paint their skins with it.
  M. L. Feb'y 13, 1805 [Green Clay coloured by Iron.]

29.

• Specimen of the lead ore of Bertons' mine on the Marrimic
  River Upper Louisiana. [Galena.]

30.

• Sep. 15, 1804 found in the interstices of a Brown rock which
  Sometimes makes its appearance in a strata of 6 or 8 feet usually
  about half of the Elevation of the Bluffs. [Similar to 4 & 22.]

31.

• Specimen of quartz [Carbonat of Lime] found on many parts of
  the Missouri common to the Mississipi & Ohio, probably a
  mixture of Glauber, common & Epsom salts with alumine.
  [Rhomboidal carbonat of Lime.]

32.

• Specimen of Globar Salts taken in Prairie of Std. Shore 22 Octr.
  1804 many bushels could have been obtained. [a mixture of
  various kinds of Salt with alumine.]

33.

• Specimen of the Sand of the river Quicourre or Rapid River,
  [quartz ore sand of a greyish white colour.]

34.

• Obtained at the Calumet Bluffs [principally fragments of argillaceous
  Iron ore.]

35.

• Found on the N. Side of the River quicourre just above its entrance.
  [Slate in a state of decomposition—with some Sulphat of
  Lime.]

36.

• Found Sep. 6 on Larbord Shore encrusting a Rock—[Alumine
  probably from decomposition of Shistus with saline impregnation tho'
  very slight.]

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37.

• Found at the upper part of the Big Bend.

38.

• found at the base of the Bluffs intermixed with loose earth 22
  Aug. 1804. [Pyrites.]

39.

• Petrefactions obtained on the River Ohio in 1803.

40.

• Specimen of the Sand rock which forms the base of the Limestone
  Clifts in the neighborhood of the osag-Woman's river on the
  Missouri. [fine grained sand stone.]

41.

• Specimen of Earth which constitutes the majority of the Bluffs
  23d. Aug 1804. when taken was in a firmer state than at
  present. [Slate decomposed with Pyrites decomposed.]

42.

• found at the upper Point of the Big Bend of the Missouri.

43.

• found above the white chalk Bluff in the Interstices of the Chalk
  rock [Shistus decomposing with small crystals of Gypsum.]

44.

• Aug. 23. 1804. Specimen of a bituminous substance found on
  the face of a sand rock, from which it appears to exude & forms
  by exposure to the air. This strata of sand rock is about 10 feet
  thick & forms a proportion of the lower part of the River Bluffs.
  [Aluminous shistus in a state of decomposition.]

45.

• Specimen of the Earth which forms the base of the Banks of the
  Missouri H. [fine grey coloured sand.]

46.

• Found at the Burning Cliffs 23 Aug. 1804. [Pyrites.]

47.

• Specimen of the Earth of which the Hills of the Missouri are
  principally formed from the entrance of the river Sioux to fort
  mandan & if Indian information may be depended upon, for several
  hundred miles further up. It is in this tract of country that
  the Missouri acquires it[s] coloring matter of which it abates but
  little to its junction to the Mississipi. This earth when saturated
  by the rains or melting snows becomes so soft for many feet in
  depth, that being unable to support its own weight, it seperates
  into large masses from the hills & Slipping down their sides precipitates
  itself into the Missouri & mingles with its waters—
  great quantities of this earth are also thrown into the river by its
  subsidiary Streams & rivulets which pass thro' or originate in this
  tract of open Country. M. L. [Slate in a decomposed state.]

48.

• Sep. 10th. found on the side of the Bluffs not very abundant [same
  as 47—with streaks of green clay.]

49.

• Aug. 22,1804 found overlaying & intermixed with the Earth which
  forms the bluffs of the River. [crystallized sulphate of Lime.]

50.

• Aug. 24, 1804 Specimen of Pirites at the base of the Bluffs on
  the South side of the Missouri. [Principally cubic Pyrites imbedded
  in argillaceous Shistus.]

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51.

• Specimen of Pirites found 22 Aug. 1804 at the base of the bluffs
  on the S. Side of the Mississipi. (only the label)

52.

• A Specimen of the Chalk found at the white Clay Bluffs on the
  S. Side of the Missouri. [Argill?]

53.

• Found at the White Clay Bluffs on S. side Missouri [Pyrites in a
  state of efflorescence.] (only the label)

54.

• from 24 Aug. to 10 Sep. 1804 Pyrites found intermixed promiscuously
  with the earth which form the Bluffs of the Missouri in
  a great variety of places. [same as 53.]

55.

• Incrustations of large round masses of rock which appear in a
  Sand bluff just above the entrance of the Cannonball river. This
  river derives its name from the appearance of these Stones many
  of them are as perfectly globular as art could form them. [Carbonate
  of Lime be caustious that you do not confound this with the
  globular Pyrites. See No. 58 below.]

56.

• Found on the side of the River bluffs. 22d. Aug. 1804 Irregularly
  intermixed with the Earth. [Pyrites.]

57.

• Pyrites found along the borders of the Missouri from 20 Augt to
  10 Sepr, they are very common on the borders of all the little
  Rivulets in this open Country. [Some of these Pyrites are in a
  state of efflorescence.]

58.

• Found 23d Aug. 1804 at the base of the Bluff. [Carbonat of Lime
  indeterminately crystallized & invested by compact carbonat of Lime.]

59.

• A Specimen of calcareous rock, a thin Stratum of which is found
  overlaying a soft Sand rock which makes its appearance in many
  parts of the bluffs from the entrance of the River Platte to Fort
  Mandon. [Mass of shells.]

60.

• Found on the River Bank 1 Aug. 1804 (petrified [blank space
  in MS.] nest.)

61.

62.

• Specimen of the pummice Stone found amongst the piles of drift
  wood on the Missouri, sometimes found as low down as the
  mouth of the osage river. I can hear of no burning mountain
  in the neighborhood of the Missouri or its Branches, but the
  bluffs of the River are now on fire at several places, particularly
  that part named in our chart of the Missouri The Burning Bluffs.
  The plains in many places, throughout this great extent of open
  country, exhibit abundant proofs of having been once on fire.
  Witness the Specimens of Lava and Pummice-stone found in
  the Hills near fort mandon. [Pumice.]

63.

• Specimen of a Substance extremely common & found intermixed
  

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  with the loose-Earth of all the Cliffs & Hills from the Calumet
  Bluff to Fort Mandon. [crystallized Gypsum. Sulphated Li[me]]

64.

• Specimen of Carbonated wood with the loose sand of the sand-Bars
  of the Missouri & Mississipi, it appears in considerable
  quantities in many places [carbonated wood.]

65.

• Specimen of stone commonly met with on the surface of the
  Earth thro' a great proportion of the plain open country above
  the River Platte. [Carbonat of Lime.]

66.

• Found in the Bluffs near Fort Mandan. [Petrefied wood.]

67.

• A Specimen of Lava & pummice Stone found in great abundance
  on the sides of the Hills in the Neighborhood of Fort Mandan
  1609 miles above the mouth of the Missouri—exposed by the
  washing of the Hills from the rains & melting Snow. These
  are merely the river Hills which are the banks only of a Valley
  formed by the Missouri, passing thro' a level plain—from the
  tops of these hills the country as far as the eye can reach is a
  level plain. The tract of Country which furnishes the Pummice
  Stone seen floating down the Missouri, is rather burning or
  burnt plains than burning mountains. [Lavas.]

68.

• Brought us by one of our hunters, John Shields who found it at
  the Allum Bluff 22 Aug. 1804. [Pyrites on slate.][1]

[The following note is found on the back fly-leaf of Codex
R, in Lewis's hand.]

Sep. 20th.

on the lard. shore at the commencement of the big bend observed a
clift of black porus rock which resembled Lava tho' on a closer examination
I believe it to be calcarious and an imperfect species of the
French burr preserved a specemine, it is a brownish white, or black
or yellowish brown.