collected by Captain Parry. 17 



^vliich are shining, and even splendent. It is rather easily fran- 

 gible ; the fragments are indeternoinately angular, and translu- 

 cent at the edges. This substance, which I suppose constitutes 

 a distinct species among the silicates of sodium, appears to be 

 one of those which enter the composition of the rock called 

 Gabbro by Mr. Von Buch. 



As probably connected with this formation we may consider 

 the magnetic iron-stone, of which some specimens were gathered 

 in lat. 72° 45', long. 90° west; it is of a very fine grain, and 

 occurs also disseminated in, and alternating with, granular 

 quartz, exhibiting white and grey stripes. Some specimens also 

 of jaspery ironstone mixed with particles of quartz, were found 

 on the eastern coast of Prince Regent's Inlet. Nor is the pre- 

 sence of iron less observable in specimens referable to more 

 recent formations of trap from the same qifarter, such as various 

 kinds of clay ironstone, and ferruginous sandstone. Of the 

 latter of these a greenish-grey variety appears to be of parti- 

 cularly frequent occurrence in those parts ; if we are allowed 

 to judge from the many, especially tabular, fragments brought 

 from thence, which are all, more or less, impregnated with brown 

 hydrous oxide of iron, some being so completely penetrated by 

 it that they ;nay be considered as tolerably rich ores of this 

 metal. 



As it is sufficiently difficult to judge of the relative antiquity 

 of depositions of sandstone, when observed in situ, it would, of 

 course, be altogether unavailing to indulge in conjectures re- 

 specting the formations to which the fragments and rolled pieces 

 may have belonged, which were picked up in various parts of 

 the north coast of Barrow's Strait, and Prince Regent's Inlet. 

 The most abundant among them is a red sandstone, and a va- 

 riegated one with brownish-red stripes. These varieties are 

 seen to pass into one another : they are composed of small 

 grains, united by a quartzy cement, and frequently confluent, so 

 as to form a nearly compact, hornstone-like mass, similar to the 

 variety of hard sandstone from Egypt, which has been often 

 employed in that country for purposes of statuary and architec- 

 ture. In external characters it agrees exactly with one of the 

 Vol XV. C 



