274 Rcntarks upon the viJi:nor Strata of the Earth 



bills in the interior part of the couniry ; where it happeos? 

 to be no uncommon circiuiistance that there is fine wenlher 

 in Low Furncss, whilst they are dL-luged with rain in the 

 mountains. 



A red freestone, composed mostly of fine sand and mica, 

 is found to the west of Ulvt-rstone: and a quarry of ex- 

 cellent njillstone grit near Holker, immediately incun)bent 

 t)t) the limestone. 



Great quantities of iron ore are raised a few miles to the 

 westward of Ulverstone, bnt principally at Whitridge, 

 (which West, in his Antiquities of Furness, calls the Peru 

 of that country.) It is found beneath the limestone rockj 

 not in veins but masses ; uncertain as to extent, and hence 

 attended with the usual disadvantages incident to mining 

 concerns : it is of the species called by naturalists hcematitei 

 or kidncij ore, (from its rescmbhuice to the kidneys of certain 

 animals.) There are three tlistinct si)ecies found in these 

 mines. The account given t)y West is as follows : *' Iron 

 ore is found at the depth of from twenty to thirty yards: it 

 is raised at 35. 6d. and 4.f. per ton, and pays \s. 6d. per ton 

 to the lord of the soiK It is carted and put on board ves- 

 sels for exportation at 3s. and sells from ll.v. to ]^s. per 

 ton. Great quantities of lapis kcematiles are raised with 

 the ore of Whitridoe, which the workmen call kidney and 

 steel ore: — there are two kinds of it turned out with the 

 common ore. 



" First. The lapis hcemalile, loUriodes, or glehosas. 



"Second. The convolved kind, described by Aldrovandus 

 and Imperiali : it is the richest ore, and easily distinguished 

 from the rubrica juhrilis^ con)monly called ruddle. 



" There are oilier works of the sanie kind in Furness*."" 



This ore is of a very greasy and defiling nature, as Mr. 

 Pennant has justly observed, marking every thing it touches 

 with a red stain. The iron produced from it is of the 

 toughest kind, and nuicb valued where that quality is re- 

 quiTed. U is snielied not only in the furnaces dispersed over 

 the neighliouring couniry, but exported in great quantities to 

 Scotland and Wales. These mines are of great antiquity, 

 havin<r been worked upwards of 400 years. 



Cojiper ore has I)ecn discovered in the rocks at Yealand 

 and Warton, and the veins pursued at a considerable ex- 

 pense; but proving so thin as not to repay the cost, they 

 dre at present abandoned. 



What is the base of Walney Island, is, 1 believe, not 



AjiU;pities of l-uiiiess, p 1' 



ascertained. 



