120 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 
the talcose slates, containing the magnetic ores. The quartz rock, which forms the back-bone of 
the mountain, and which, at other localities, is interstratified with the talcose slates, as it extends 
into the District, becomes quite arenaceous, and makes an excellent fire-stone, which is used at the 
iron works at Cherokee Ford. The sand from this rock is sufficiently free from iron and other im- 
purities to be fit for the manufacture of glass. 
Many of the hills on both sides of Pacolet are covered with mica slates, which gives them a 
rounded outline. 
The gold Mines on Fair Forest, in the north-west corner of the District, are situated in a group 
of these slates, which are interstratified with hornblende slates. 
Beds of soapstone are not uncommon in the District, and are generally found in the hornblende. 
Near Glenn’s Springs this mineral is found passing into asbestos, and is used as a substitute for 
slate-pencils, a purpose for which it seems to answer admirably. 
Besides Glenn’s Springs, which are so well known and so deservedly popular, there are others, 
not far distant, which, flowing through hornblende slates, the water is strongly chalybeate, and, 
somewhat sulphuretted; it also contains lime. These springs are situated in a little valley near the 
gold mines, but are not much known or frequented, although they would form an admirable 
adjunct to the water of Glenn’s Springs, in which salts of lime are the predominant ingredients. 
Cuester District. 
In the geology of Chester granite is not very conspicuous; nevertheless there are some remarka- 
ble localities scattered over the District. Between 'Tinker’s Creek and the Canal, on the West, and 
on the eastern side of the District, a wild and picturesque locality of this rock may be seen, on the 
Catawba. ‘Towards the South long narrow ridges of granite are seen, like white stripes, among 
the trap rocks. Price’s Mountain is deserving of notice, as being the most elevated mass of granite 
in the State; and on the North-east localities of true granite are abundant. 
Trap Rocks.—it is to these rocks, which are finely developed, that the characteristic features of 
the District are mainly due. I had frequently heard of the “ Black-jack lands” of Chester, but I 
could get no definite information as to their character, excepting that they consisted of plains, hav- 
ing a peculiar soil, and being covered with “black-jack.” It is a little remarkable that the three 
great trap regions of the State should have been distinguished by names that convey no correct 
idea of the rocks or even the land. In the “F'lat-woods” of Abbeville there are some level tracts, 
but the greater part of the surface is undulating, and often broken; while the “Meadow-woods” of 
Union include not an acre of any thing approaching a meadow. ‘The trap of Chester is, indeed, 
covered with “black-jack,” but that tree loves a moist, cold soil, and is therefore only so far charac- 
teristic. 
It was with no small degree of pleasure and surprise that I discovered that the underlying rock 
of these lands was trap. For the most part the country between Rocky and Fishing Creeks is com- 
paratively a plain, but slightly broken or undulating, and consequently but badly drained. Masses 
of globular trap cover the surface in places, but generally the surface of the rock is covered with 
soil—the result of its own disintegration. 
From every little channel and ravine magnetic oxide of iron is washed out, in the form of black 
