284 THE TRAP MINERALS OF NOVA SCOTIA—GILPIN. 
of the early sailors, commonly carried in their ships a few “ rare 
refiners of mines.” 
Passing from these romantic explorers, whose dreams were of 
empires and gold mines, forts and Governorships, we come 
down to those who have studied the trap minerals in our own 
days. Among those may be mentioned Titus Smith, whose views 
on geological subjects were, for his day, sound and well sustained, 
although the modern geologist congratulates himself that his 
beloved study has passed such a rudimentary stage. In 1833, 
Messrs. Jackson and Alger visited the Bay of Fundy, and collec- 
ted immense quantities of the trap minerals. 
The late Dr. How and Dr. Webster also devoted much attention 
to this subject, and we are indebted to the former gentleman for 
many valuable analyses of these minerals and for the discovery 
of several new species. The labours of the latter are best known 
to you by the beautiful Webster collection now in the Provincial 
Museum, and by many specimens presented by him to the Museum 
of King’s College. The study of these minerals also claims its 
list of martyrs, for a Professor of Acadia, with several students, 
was drowned in exploring the cliffs of _Blomidon. 
Their description of the Bay of Fundy minerals has directed 
the attention of mineralogists to the rich harvests its shore pre- 
sents, and now there are few cabinets in America or Europe 
which do not contain specimens from its basaltic cliffs. 
I purpose this evening to lay before you a brief outline of the 
process of formation of the measures related to these minerals, 
and to give the various analyses, etc., that I have been able to 
collect from the writings of Dawson, Dana, How and others. I 
am aware that my list cannot be considered complete, but will 
feel that the work has not been thrown away if others who have 
been enabled to devote more time to the study of these interest- 
ing minerals will kindly supply the deficiencies of my paper. 
I may say to you that a visit to the trap distvicts of the Bay of 
Fundy wil] amply repay the lover of picturesque scenery. From 
Economy to Five Islands, Parrsboro and Cape D'or, there are 
presented continuous variations of fertile valleys and rugged 
cliffs. The shore, composed of strata varying from the almost 
incoherent triassic’ sandstones to the granite -like columnar 
C—O a, 
