[ 60 ] 
diate objects of the Bath Society, you are at liberty 
to communicate it, if you pleafe. 
We will now return to your favour before me; 
the perufal of which has given me great pleafure. 
You very properly conceive that America abounds 
in various metals. I believe fhe has a full propor- 
tion. We have multifarious proofs of it. 
Native malleable copper is found in feveral parts, 
and fometimes in blocks of confiderable magnitude; 
—witnefs the fouthern fhores of Lake Superior. A 
fubftance refembling d/ock-tin has been difcovered 
on the Siota. What this metal is, I cannot yet de- 
termine, having never affayed it. As it is not mi- 
neralized with any other body, but, on the contrary, 
is pure and malleable, pervading in ramifications 
the mafs of ftone that contains it, I conceive it 
cannot be tin. It may poflibly be a new metal ; 
or, pofisly, fine filver. Lead is abundant in the , 
country weft of the mountains; and there is amine 
of it in Virginia, worked on an extenfive {cale, and, 
I am told, with confiderable profit. The Weftern 
Territory affords very rich fpecimens of this mi- 
neral. Black Lead is common in many parts, 
without being confined to that or this fide of the 
mountains. Hitherto, it has been applied folely to 
the making of crucibles, and to fome inferior pur- 
pofes. None of a quality fufficiently tenacious for 
pencils has yet been difcovered, or, rather, fought 
for. Some //ver ore has been feen, here and there: 
but 
