Mineralogy and Geology of Nova Scotia. 281 
the coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. One of the most exten- 
sive beds is on the banks of the Maran River, where the gypsum 
is of a bluish color and equal to any in the province. 
The gypsum in the vicinity of Windsor, abounds in those con- 
ical or inverted funnel-shaped cavities, supposed to have origina- 
ted in the solution of rock-salt (chloride of sodium), which has 
been imagined once to have occupied those spaces, though it 
is hard to learn on what evidence such a notion can be found- 
ed, as no rock-salt, or even traces of its existence have been dis- 
covered in this part of the province, or nearer to it than the 
county of Cumberland. The absence indeed, of anhydrous gyp- 
sum, which, according to Mr. Bakewell, usually accompanies the 
deposits of rock-salt, would rather show that this mineral never 
did exist here. In one of these caverns, about ten or fifteen years 
since, the skeleton of a human being, supposed from the relics of 
arrows found with it to have been one of the aboriginal inhabitants, 
was discovered in opening a gypsum quarry. It is presumed 
that this unfortunate individual, while pursuing his occupa- 
tion of the chase, was precipited to the bottom of this frightful 
dungeon, and being confined by its inclined walls, was unable 
to escape. Thus incarcerated, he perished by hunger. His 
bones are still preserved at the College in Windsor, where 
they were politely shown to us by the Vice-President, the 
Rey. Mr. King, who gave the above account of them. No 
other remains, but those of this single human being, have 
been seen in these caverns, which, in truth, have excited 
little or no attention, and have never been examined with 
a view to determine whether, in some of them, the remains 
of animals both of living and extinct species, may not also have 
been entombed; if the former, by falling into them and perishing 
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