426 Dr, Dawson on the recent 



telligent friends who were good observers. The truth is, that in 

 cases of this kind it is difficult to make the initial discovery, but 

 this once made, it is comparatively easy to trace the productive 

 rocks over considerable districts, if the requisite knowledge of the 

 geological character of these has been obtained. 



The conditions under which gold occurs in Nova Scotia, are 

 quite similar to those of other auriferous regions. The principal 

 point of difference is the amount of gold found in rock veins, as 

 compared with alluvial wastings derived from their waste — a 

 mere accident of the deposits or of the mode of exploration. It 

 is probable that the Nova Scotia deposits are strictly a continua- 

 tion of those which run along the eastern Appalachian slope as 

 far as Alabama, and which may throughout, as in Canada and 

 the Ural Mountains, occur in altered members of the Lower Silurian 

 series. It is to be anticipated that the connection with the au- 

 riferous deposits of the United States, may soon be effected by 

 the discovery of gold in the metamorphic districts of New Bruns- 

 wick, The quartz veins of Tangier and Wine Harbour, though 

 small, are remarkably rich in gold ; and it still remains to be 

 proved whether, like gold veins elsewhere, they will be found to 

 diminish in productiveness in following them downward. 



There is little room to doubt that gold will be found through- 

 out the coast metamorphic district of Nova Scotia : more especially 

 the slaty rocks of southern Greysboro, Halifax, Lunenburgh, and 

 the northern parts of Queens, Shelburne, and Yarmouth, may be 

 expected to be auriferous. In short this applies to all the dis- 

 tricts coloured li^Tit blue in the map attached to my " Acadian 

 Geology." Careful examination may shew that the gold occurs 

 chiefly or entirely, in the veins traversing certain bands of the 

 thick beds of slate and quartz rock in these districts ; and these 

 may be recognised by their mineral character, especially if de- 

 fined in their relation to the other beds by a detailed survey of 

 the productive localities. Still the indications in one locality may 

 not be unfailing when applied to another ; and in the mean time 

 it would be the best course for explorers to look at all quartz 

 veins, and especially at those occurring in soft dark slaty beds, 

 particularly near the junction of these beds with other rocks. 

 Further, it would seem that the narrower veins, those following 

 the strike of the rocks, and those stained with iron rust, are most 

 likely to be productive. Minute examination should be made, as 

 gold often occurs in very small grains which may still be suffici^ 



