BENNETT ISLAND. 681 



have already collected enough fire-wood for two meals, 

 and with a coal-mine " handy by," and birds in thou- 

 sands, we need never want for a warm meal. 



The o-eolog-ical formation of Bennett Island is thus 



o o 



described by Dr. Ambler : " It is certainly of volcanic 

 origin. It is composed of trap-rock : a species of felds- 

 pathic rock, igneous rock with silica caught up in it in 

 masses ; trap-rock with globules of silica ; trap-rock 

 containing globules, which rock being broken shows the 

 globules of the darker color sticking in the matrix, 

 while the portion of the mass knocked off will show a 

 complete mould or bed. The globules are about the 

 size of a pea, receive a bright polish from the finger, 

 and are soft enough to be cut with a knife ; silica, very 

 light stone, tufa, I think, of a light brown color, spongy 

 in appearance, as if blown up by gases ; lava of dif- 

 ferent colors, varying from a yellowish brown to a dark 

 green ; clays almost the color of bricks ; debris from 

 the sides of the cliff being disintegrated portions of 

 this red seemingly baked clay. 



" The face of the cliff (Cape Emma) is in six terraces 

 of igneous rock, separated by other strata imposed, of 

 the red clay stuff which contains most of the silica. 

 The amethyst was found in a matrix of quartz imbed- 

 ded in the trap-rock. The stalagmite and stalactite 

 were found upon breaking open a mass of trap-rock, 

 found lying on the beach, and could be easily removed 

 by the finger. The stratification is horizontal; fossils 

 seen. There is also a white stone with very much the 

 appearance of gypsum. There are two varieties, one 

 occurring in tabular masses, with glistening sides when 

 held in the light, and the other of a dull, opaque white, 

 and in rounded masses which show the action of water. 

 Both varieties can be cut with a knife, and form an 



