296 Messrs. Jackson and Alger on the 
influence in the smelting furnace, whether it combines chemical- 
ly with the iron or not; for in consequence of its existing in the 
state of a peroxide of the metal, a large portion of heat and carbon 
must be taken up in the formation of carbonic acid, or carbonic 
oxide, by the union of the carbon and oxygen, and the iron, by 
losing any portion of the carbon it had previously taken up from 
the charcoal, is rendered of an inferior quality. The preparatory 
process of burning the ore might perhaps be resorted to with 
advantage. <A bed of buff-colored limestone occurs in the sand- 
stone, near the hematite locality, and will prove a valuable flux- 
ing material to the ore, should it be worked in this part of the 
country. The limestone also forms beds in the sandstone at sev- 
eral other places, among which may be cited the Shubenacadie 
River, Gay River, and Pictou Island, as shown on the map. At 
the two last named places, it contains small but well character- 
ized remains of the cornu ammonis, with crystals of argentiferous 
galena, arseniate of lead in minute crystals, and carbonate of iron, 
the latter filling the cavities of the fossil ammonites. It is cay- 
ernous in some places; and, according to Mr. Halliburton, a kind 
of grotto has been discovered in it near the East river of Pictou, 
about one hundred feet in length, and beautifully decorated by 
numerous stalactites depending from its roof. 
Four miles southeast of this place a very important and exten- 
sive bed of iron ore exists, in the clay slate of the South mountains, 
which we shall describe after noticing generally the whole tran- 
sition clay-slate formation of Nova Scotia, commencing at the 
eastern extremity of the district of Pictou, and extending west 
southwest to the opposite shore of the Province. This rock 
presents a larger extent of surface, than any other in the Province, 
forming nearly one half of the whole face of the country. It pre- 
