462 



THE C.VNADIAN NATURALIST. 



[Dc 



nor swell disturbed the water. Even at the best, its extreme 

 coldness prevented the ujea from ivorking in it longer than half 

 an hour at a time, and then not very effectually. The same 

 cause made it impossible to blast under water with success. The 

 holes were bored, although with difficulty, but the insertion of 

 the cartridge and the tamping was almost invari^ibly a failure. 

 Nevertheless, by working in a depth of from two to four feet of 

 water, mostly with moils and bars, forty-six half barrels of good 

 ore were extracted from the vein. These formed three different 

 parcels, which were despatched at different times, after the pieces 

 had been broken down to a size not exceeding one inch and a half 

 in diameter, and after a sample of each parcel had been taken in 

 the regular manner. These samples I assayed on the spot before 

 the blow-pipe, and afterwards in the muffle furnace. The results 

 by the latter process, which did not differ materially from those 

 done before the blow-pipe, are given in the following statement, 

 together with the weights and values of each parcel. 



Nothing could be more conclusive than these figures for estab- 

 lishing the value of the vein, and justifying considerable out- 

 lay in the attempt to establish a mine on Silver Islet. On the 

 12th of August last a shaft was begun in the centre of the islet, 

 and afterwards a shaft-house erected over it, containing, besides 

 the shaft-house proper, a sleeping apartment, as well as a kitchen 

 or eating apartment for the men. This building wa-i protected 

 on the west side by a screen of two-iach planks, extending from 

 the ridge of the roof, at the same inclination, down to the rock of 

 the islet. This served to ward off, from the house and shaft, the 

 heavy spray driven over the islet and building during southwest 

 gales. At such times we felt perfectly secure upon the islet, 

 although from the heavy sea it was unapproachable by a boat. The 

 sinking of the shaft was continued until a depth of 18 feet, or 12 

 feet below the level of the lake had been attained. At this depth 

 several small veins were struck, which brought with them more 



