CARBONIFEROUS OF CAPE BRETON—GILPIN. 29 
small coal seams have been observed about three-quarters of a 
mile from the shore; beyond this the measures consist of grey 
sandstone and shale, having a millstone grit facies. 
Mabow.—Mr. Fletcher remarks of this district that there is 
no difficulty in defining its limits, the two patches at Coal Mines 
and Finlay Point being sharply interrupted by the gypsum at a 
distance from the shore, not exceeding one quarter of a mile. 
These were presumably united at one time, but are now isolated 
by folding and denudation. The geological survey sections give 
one seam six feet thick, and a number of thinner ones. Mr. 
Brown, in his book on the Coal Fields of Cape Breton, now 
unfortunately out of print, states that on the south side of the 
first basin the outcrops of four workable seams have been 
examined. They lie with heavy northerly dips, and are included 
in about 550 feet of measures. He gives their thickness as fol- 
lows :— 
ibs in 
Plishest Seam’)... geo 8 22: SOAP Rates CAMA Se 5 0 
Second WM bo be ae RRA RLS cE PP iL 0 
Third SUAS Ae O es Ravaticta ede stat dow etiaiwhy te 14 0 
Fourth COM Oakaare Ce ees day Rie ros Je + 0 
As there is no good means of shipment at present available, 
there has been no coal mined here except for local use. No 
doubt the time will come when these seams will yield valuable 
returns in their land and seaward areas, Mr. Brown estimating 
the amount of coal in one square mile at 27,000.900 tons. 
Still continuing to the north there is a small patch of Lower 
Carboniferous at Cape Mabou, but the shore for about three 
miles further is occupied by Pre-Cambrian rocks. At Port Ban 
the commencement of the Broad Cove coal field is met. Here it 
follows the valley of Rankin’s Brook for about two miles in a 
narrow tongue resting on the felsites. Beyond this it widens 
until a little to the north of MclIsaac’s Pond it is nearly two 
miles wide, it then contracts to a narrow point about a mile 
north of the mines; the total length of the district being about 
five miles. It is probable that a large part of this district is 
underlaid by workable coal seams. Their dimensions are best 
