Theory of the Earth, With Proofs and Illustrations, Volume 1 (of 4)Hutton, James
Science
Theory of the Earth, With Proofs and Illustrations, Volume 1 (of 4)
Hutton, James
Geology -- Early works to 1800
Professor Playfair was to pass through Cumberland. I begged that he
would inquire of Mr Wright, at the Low-wood Inn, for those objects which
he was to endeavour to procure for me, and to examine the limestone
quarry in which I had found the specimen with entrochi. He went through
another part of those primary mountains, and has found examples of this
kind in the schisti; concerning which he has written me the following
account.
"In a visit which I made to the Lakes of Cumberland in September 1791,
in company with the Hon. Francis Charteris, I met with a limestone
full of marine objects, though from its position it is certainly to be
reckoned among the primary strata. The place where we found this stone
was in the district of Lancashire, that is west of Windermere Lake, on
the road from Ambleside to the north end of Coniston Lake, and not far
from the point when you come in sight of the latter. Just about this
spot we happened to meet with one of those people who serve as guides
to travelers in those parts, and who told us, among other things, that
stones with shells in them were often found not far from where we were
then walking. We immediately began to look about for specimens of that
kind, and soon met with several; the most remarkable of which was in a
rock that rose a little above the surface, about 300 or 400 yards to
the right of the road. It was a part of a limestone stratum, nearly
vertical, and was full of bivalves with the impressions as strong as
in a common secondary limestone. The strata on both sides had the same
inclination, and were decidedly primary, consisting of the ordinary
micaceous schistus. This however I need not remark to you, who know so
well from your own observations that the whole of the country I am now
speaking of has every character of a primary one. I, only mention it,
that it may not be supposed that the rock in question was some fragment
of a secondary stratum that remained, after the rest was washed away,
superincumbent on the primary.
"After I had seen this rock, I recollected that you had told me of
something of the same kind that you saw in a quarry at Low-wood Inn; and
it may be that both belonged to the same stratum or body of strata; for
the direction of the strata, as nearly as I could observe, was from S.W.
to N.E.; and this also is nearly the bearing of Low-wood from the place
where we now were. I send you a specimen, which you can compare with
those you brought from the lime quarry at Low-wood."
I have examined this specimen, and find it to be the common schistus
of that country, only containing many bivalve shells and fragments of
entrochi and madrapore bodies, and mixed with pyrites.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account