ABP.AHAM GESMER REVIEW OF HIS SCIENTIFIC WORK. lo' 



Geological Survey of New Brunswick. 



It would appear that immediately after the publication of 

 his work on the geology and mineralog}'' of Nova Scotia, Dr. 

 (xesner turned his attention to the neighboring province of New 

 Brunswick, for in his first rejDort on the geology of this province 

 he stated that in 1837 he had obtained an outline of the geogra- 

 phical features of that part of the province which borders the 

 Bay of Fund}' : and it would seem that before he began explor- 

 ation for the provincial government he had (by request of private 

 individuals?) visited the lead mine at Lubec in Maine. 



At the close of his fiist season's work he was able to give the 

 f(_)llowing general sketch of the geological structure of the south- 

 ern part of New Brunswick : 



" The southeast side of New Brunswick, or that part which 

 reaches Tiear the coast, extending from Shepody Bay in the 

 county of Westmorland (now Albert) to the American boundary 

 line in the county of Charlotte, is occupied by an extensive and 

 moderately-elevated chain of mountains, composed j^iincipally of 

 granite anil other primary rocks. This I'ange is situated at an 

 aveiage distance of fifteen miles fiom the shore of the Bay of 

 Fundy, and includes the highlands eastward of the river St. 

 John. Westwardl}', it embraces Bald, Eagle, Douglas, Pleasant 

 and other mountains. The course of this mountainous district 

 is from southwest to northeast. 



" At the southern base of this elevated region the slates and 

 limestones of the transition series, and the sandstones and con- 

 glomerates of the secondary formations, are placed in their usual 

 order of succession, wherever the}^ have not V)een broken up and 

 buried by extensive eruptions of volcanic matter. All these 

 rocks have been penetrated by large and numerous dykes of trap, 

 basalt and porphyry, and the surface of the countr}'^ * * * 

 exhiliits the clearest evidence of having been the theatre of 

 violent earthquakes and intense volcanic action. 



" The granite entering into the structure of this mountain 

 chain is also succeeded on its northern side by slate and gray- 

 wacke * * * then follow the rocks of the great coal form- 

 ation which extends from the head of the Oromocto river in a 

 north-east direction to Northumberland Straits." 



