Mineralogy and Geology of Nova Scotia. 311 
Having thus far described the appearances and productions 
of the South mountains, we shall now advert to the ore-bed at 
Clement’s, the last place along this range where it is known to 
appear. This bed is three miles from the mouth of Moose river; 
and, several extensive openings having been made into it, during 
the past season, from which many hundred tons of the ore have 
been removed, peculiar facilities are afforded for its examination. 
Its width considerably exceeds that of the Nictau bed, and per- 
haps ten feet may be assigned as its average; but from the inti- 
mate union of the ore with the contiguous slate, it is very difficult 
to discover the line of separation between the one and the other. 
In this respect it differs very materially from the ore of Nictau, 
where, to a much greater extent, the walls of the bed are distinctly 
presented. By the assistance of a compass, this ore may be trac- 
ed for the distance of two miles, towards Bear river, so power- 
ful is its magnetic influence on the needle. Indeed, land survey- 
ors are more or less perplexed by its influence, while traversing 
the forests in different parts of this range, and these evidences 
are in support of the continuity of this bed from New Glasgow 
to Clement’s. 
This ore is compact or fine granular, of a bluish-grey or steel- 
grey color, and possesses a glistening metallic lustre. When 
reduced to powder, its color is similar. It is highly magnetic, 
strongly affecting the needle, as we have before observed, and 
is in fact the magnetic oxide of iron, or exists in the state 
of the protoxide of the metal, combined with lime, alumina, and 
silex. Its specific gravity is 4:5; exceeding that of the Pictou 
or Nictau ore, and it yields by fusion in the assay-furnace, 
sixty-five per cent. of soft cast-iron. But when reduced in 
the smelting-furnace, it has hitherto yielded less, owing to its ad- 
