RETURN FROM PITTSBURG 307 



the space. A strong vein of iron crosses the slate from 

 north-east to south-west, in which are found large, 

 white marcasite-nodules and white quartz. With con- 

 tinued dry weather the slate shows a partly white, 

 partly green mould (copperas and alum), and the 

 water rising out of it has a strong vitriolic taste. The 

 people who were digging there knew nothing of what 

 sort of ore they expected ; they wanted silver straight- 

 way, and appeared very well content with the shim- 

 mering look of the marcasite. I alarmed them with 

 my conjecture that they would likely be digging long 

 and deep for silver in vain, and that perhaps, if the 

 slate does not lie too flat on the limestone, they might 

 find coals. 



Canalaway Settlement has existed only 25 years, and 

 is already fairly populous. Most of the inhabitants of 

 this district are Irish families who almost everywhere 

 are indolent and unsystematic farmers. One can 

 imagine that they must farm scurvily when they are 

 blamed even in America, where in general agriculture 

 is not carried on to the best advantage. They cultivate 

 their land until it is quite exhausted, and then take 

 in a new piece of land, letting the old lie. Never think 

 of clearing up waste land and bringing it into cultiva- 

 tion, until driven by necessity. Are quite careless of 

 sowing or intending more than they think their 

 families will need ; and hence with much good land 

 are in danger at every failure of going hungry. Of 

 cattle they have plenty, but feed them badly and so get 

 little use of them. I am almost certain that the owner 

 of 200 acres of land lives very little better than the 

 owner of but 20 acres in Germany. However, they 

 live and live content, and appear to console themselves 



