'jtccount af the Ir'ijh Gold Mint, jlj^ 



the level of the fea. It extends W. by N. and E. by S. and flretches away to the north- 

 eaftward to Ballycoage, where (hafts have formerly been funk, and feme copper and 

 magnetic iron ore has been found; and thence to the N. E. where extends a tra(£l of mineral 

 country ei^ht miles in length, running through the lands of Baliymurtagh, Ballygahan, 

 Tigrony, Cronebane, Connery, and Kilmacoe, in all which veins of copper ore are found ; 

 and terminating at the flate quarry at Balnabarny. 



On the higheft part of the mountain are bare rocks, being a variety of argillite *, whofe 

 joints range N. N. E. and S. S.jW. hade to the S. S.W. and in one part include a rib of 

 quartz three inches wide, which follows the diredion of the ftrata. Around the rocks for 

 fome diftance, is found ground, covered with heath ; defcending to the eaftward there is 

 fpringy ground abounding with coarfe grafs ; and below that a very extenfive bog, in which 

 the turf is from four to nine feet thick, and beneath it in the fubftratum of clay are many 

 angular fragments of quartz, containing chlorite and ferruginous earth. Below the turbary 

 the ground falls with a quick defcent, and three ravines are obferved. The central one, 

 which is the moft confiderable, has been worn by torrents, which derive their fource from 

 the bog ; the others are formed lower down the mountain by fprings, which uniting with 

 the former, below their juniflion the gold has been found. The fmaller have not v/ater 

 fufficient to wafli away the incumbent clay fo as to lay bare the fubftratum; and their beds 

 only contain gravel confifting of quartz, with chlorite and other fubftances of which the 

 mountain confifts. The great ravine prefents a moft interefting afpcft ; the water in its 

 defcent has in a very fhort diftance from the bog entirely carried off the clay, and con* 

 ftderably worn down the fubftrata of rock, which it has laid open to infpeflion. 



Defcending along the bed of the great ravine, whofe general courfe is to the caftward, 

 a yellow argillaceous fhiftus is firft feen ; the laminae are much fhattered, are very thin, 

 have a flight hade to the S. S. W. range E. S. E and W. N. W. Included within the fliift 

 is a vein of compaft barren quartz, about three feet wide, ranging N.E. and S. W. ; 

 below this is another vein about nine inches wide, having the fame range as the former, 

 and hading to the northward, confifting of quartz including ferruginous earth. Lower 

 down is a vein of a corhpa6l aggregate fubftance, apparently compounded of quart*, 

 ochraceous earth, chert, minute particles of mica, and fome little argillite of unknown 

 breadth, ranging E. and W. hading faft to the fouthward, and including ftrings of quartz 

 from one to two inches thick, the quartz containing ferruginous earth. The yellow argil- 

 laceous fhiftus is again feen with its former hade and range ; and then adjacent to a quartz 

 vein is laminated blue argillaceous flilftus, ranging N. E. and S. W. and huding S. E. j 

 which is afterwards feen varying its range and hade, running E. N. E. and W. S. W. and 

 hadingN. N. W. Lower down, the blue Ihift is obferved more compa£l, though ftill 

 laminated. The ground, lefs fteep, becomes fpringy, is inclofed, and the ravine, (hallower, 

 hasdepofited a confiderable quantity of clay-fand and gravel. Following the courfe of the 

 ravine, or, as it may now more properly be called, the brook, you arrive at the road which 

 leads to Arklow ; here is a ford, and the brook has the Irifti name of Aughatinavought (the 

 river that drowned the old man) : hence itdefcends to the Aughrim river, juft above its con- 

 fluence with that from Rathdrum, which after their jundicui take the general name of the 



• Kirwan, edit. 17941, p. i34- 

 Vol. IL—AvGU$T 1798. Gg Ovq, 



