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coal is furnished to the blacksmiths of San Saba county, where we saw it used. The use to which it is applied proves it to be excellent.
COAL IN LLANO AND SAN SABA COUNTIES.
In the honey creek cove, four to six miles front the Packsaddle Mountain, coal in large pieces has been found in the bed of the creek. At this locality, I saw shale at the base of the bank of the creek, but did not see any coal in its native bed. Specimens of coal from this locality are in the bed of the stream, and if the coal can be obtained in large quantities (which is quite doubtful) it will prove to be a valuable acquisition for use in manufacturing the iron ores of that region.
In San Saba county, north of the San Saba river, are shades in hillsides, the hills being mostly sand rocks of the carboniferous age. In such places, Dr. Watson and Mr. Barrett told me they had seen coal. These gentlemen are noted for hunting the minerals of that region. They also report coal in Mason and McCulloch counties. They gave me some very fine mineralogical specimens for the State cabinet.
The preceding are mostly mere outcroppings of the coal of the carboniferous formation, and they are amply sufficient to convince us that in this large coal field there is plenty of good coal. Let us remember that most of these are only surface outcroppings; that in all the coal regions of Europe, and the older States of this country, the best coal is generally obtained at a great depth, coal. being mined in England to the depth of more than fifteen hundred feet, and in this country to more than eight hundred feet. Throughout our entire coal region, both tertiary and carboniferous, it is highly probable that at greater depths more coal will be found.
A few years ago, the State of Illinois was supposed to he almost without coal, only a few outcroppings being known in distant parts of the State. But the geological survey of that State has stimulated deep researches to be made at the proper places, and the result is a great abundance of good. coal.
Our carboniferous region is now but thinly settled; but now people are flocking there and making homes for themselves and families, and these people are every-year finding