Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 311 



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is a precipitous mountain, nearly a thousand feet in height ; and it 

 was on its top, and near the western edge, that the native iron was 

 found, — not three years ago as stated in this Journal, but as Major 

 Burrall informed us, sixteen or seventeen years since. At the base 

 of the mountain is limestone, succeeded by an aggregate of quartz 

 and mica, which appears to be one of the varieties of Dr. Maccul- 

 loch's quartz-rock. The top of the mountain, however, is well cha- 

 racterized mica-slate, containing small imperfect crystals of magnetic 

 iron-ore, sparinglydisseminated. On the top of the mountain we came 

 to a pond, perhaps sixty or eighty rods across ; and on the south- 

 west margin of this pond is the spot where, as well as Major Bur- 

 rall can recollect, he obtained the specimens in question. At this 

 spot he found his compass liable to so great a variation that it was 

 useless; and on examining the rocks for the cause, he found the spe- 

 cimens that have excited so much interest. Mr. Burrall, junior, 

 took his father's compass with him, on our present excursion, and 

 attempted to run over the same line which his father pointed out 

 to him, as the one upon which he experienced so much difficulty. 

 This line runs nearly east and west, just upon the southern margin 

 of the pond ; and we found that where it approaches the nearest to 

 the pond, there was a variation of 30°, as shown by back objects. 

 On setting the compass only two or three rods backwards or for- 

 wards on the line, however, the variation almost entirely vanished. 

 This showed us that the magnetic mass, that produced the varia- 

 tion, could not be far removed from the line, either north or south ; 

 for had it been at a considerable distance, the removal of the com- 

 pass a few rods either east or west, could not materially have af- 

 fected the variation ; since the radius of a large circle for a consi- 

 derable number of degrees, differs so little from the secant. We 

 removed the compass one or two rods to the north, and ran a line 

 parallel to that above named, so as even to enter a little distance 

 into the pond, where the water is highest. Here the variation was 

 even greater than upon the first line ; so that the attracting mass 

 must lie north of that first line. Probably it lies just in the edge of 

 the pond ; and I have no hesitation in saying, that a circle, described 

 with a radius of two rods, upon the point where the greatest varia- 

 tion was noticed, would embrace the ferruginous mass that here 

 disturbs the needle ; nor is there much reason to doubt but that 

 mass is native iron. And whoever has observed how large a mass 

 of iron it requires to turn aside the needle of a compass, at the di- 

 stance of one or two rods, will presume that the mass here depo- 

 sited must be a large one. The spot I have been describing is co- 

 vered with trees and thick underbrush, and the moss and rubbish 

 almost entirely hide the rocks underneath. The bottom of the pond 

 is sphagnous ; and perhaps it might be necessary partially to drain it, 

 which is not difficult. Whoever will be at the trouble and expense 

 of removing the brush, moss and soil, at this spot, under the direc- 

 tion of Mr. Burrall, or Dr. Reed, will, I have little doubt, be abun- 

 dantly rewarded by the discovery of a mass of native iron." 



" On seeing this pond, and considering this locality of native iron 



on 



