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Atsion river and most of its branches, extending; from near the 

 sources of these streams in a tolerably wide belt southeastward 

 to Landing creek. The length of the tract within which the bog 

 ore is found on nearly all the tributaries, is about twenty miles, 

 while we may state its average breadth at three miles. The 

 other, or eastern tract, lies along the Tulpehaukin or Wading 

 river, and its several branches. It covers an area quite as exten- 

 sive as the former, but the deposit of ore in this latter district is 

 greatly inferior in abundance to that on the Atsion river, particu- 

 larly in the neig'bourhood of Atsion iron works. 



The several minor deposits of bog ore are confined to the 

 limits of the marl region. 



One of these occurs on Talman's creek, a small tributary to 

 the Rancocus ; another is found upon the south branch of the 

 Rancocus near its junction with the north branch ; and another 

 lies on the Manasquan river, near the little village called Georgia, 

 in Monmouth county. Other similar deposits are met with on 

 the Manalapan and Machaponix creeks, in Monmouth county, two 

 small tributaries of the South river, which flows into the Raritan. 



The usual features of the beds of bog ore, their probable origin, 

 and the peculiarities in the structure of the ore itself, will be 

 understood by the following description of those which occur in 

 the vicinity of Atsion iron works, which may be regarded as 

 representing those deposits generally. 



The Atsion river takes its origin within a mile of Long- 

 acoming. In thb greater part of its course, it flows through ex- 

 tensive flats or cedar swamps, the water becoming in its passage 

 through these, highly tinged with vegetable matter. 



Near to the source of this stream, and at numerous other 

 places along its course, the san 1, though of a snowy whiteness on 

 the surface, presents a ferruginous tinge wherever the inferior 

 layers are to be seen. The water oozing from these sands, 

 carries with it more or less of the oxide of iron, derived evidently 

 from the upper and more exposed parts of the stratum, depositing 

 it as it reaches the air. 



Within two miles of the source of the Atsion, bog ore is found, 

 though not in very considerable quantity. 



The ores which are used at the Atsion works, are obtained 

 fropn above the furnace, the present excavations are chiefly at 



