0*g COAL MINE! IN FRANCE. 



of the upper part of the mountain. This is of a deep blue 

 gray, and contains belemnites and ammonites. The incli- 

 nation and direction of its strata vary greatly, but in general 

 they incline to the north at a greater or less angle, which ap- 

 pears to be determined by the slope of the primitive rock, 

 on which this limestone rests. At the southern extremity 

 of the mountain, below Villard-Eyroont, the micaceous rock 

 is covered by amygdaloid hornstone, which from the decom- 

 position of its calcareous nodules assumes a pseudovolcanic 

 appearance. 



The vein of la Gardette is quartz in mass, crystallized 

 wherever the siliceous matter has not been sufficient to fill 

 the whole of the vein. It is enchased in gneiss. Its direc- 

 tion is W N W ; its dip to the south, 80° ; its thickness va- 

 ries from CO to 80 or 90 centim. [l ft. 11 inch, to 2 ft. 11 

 inch.] and upwards. Its length has been ascertained for 

 more than 450 met. [492 yrds.] from the foot to the summit 

 of the mountain. 

 Attempts to The first attempts to work it were made in thebeginniu.^ 

 of the last century by some of the mountaineers, who gave 

 it up for want of money or of skill. In 1733 some re- 

 searches were made by order of the king, but they were 

 badly conducted, and without success. In 17o\5 some of 

 the inhabitants of Gardette attacked it anew, to obtain rock 

 crystal. Their labours were confined to a shaft of 1 1 met. 

 [12 yds.] deep, in which they found some indications of 

 gold, in crystals of eulphuret of lead deposited on needles of 

 quartz. In 1770, after the discovery of the silver mine of 

 Chalanches, one Lawrence Garden tried the vein, and after 

 several days labour he found in the gangue many specimens 

 of gold distinctly marked. These he carried to the found ry 

 of Allemont. Mr. Binelli, its superintendant, assayed them, 

 ascertained the presence of the gold, and paid a visit to the 

 spot; but he could not be persuaded, that the specimens he 

 had assayed were taken from this vein. In 1779 however, 

 Mr. Binelli being succeeded by Mr. Schreiber, Garden car- 

 ried some specimens to this gentleman, who visited the place, 

 and found, that the vein really contained gold. On there- 

 port of Mr. Schreiber, the count of Provence ordered 

 the mine to be explored, and the works were begun in 



June 



-work it. 



