Prof. Olmsted on the Gold Mines of North Carolina. 379 



head, but vary in size from mere dust to pieces weighing one 

 or two pennyweights. Large pieces, when they occur, are 

 usually picked out at a previous stage of the process. 



Large pieces of gold are found in this region, although 

 their occurrence is somewhat rare. Masses weighing four, 

 five, and six hundred pennyweights, are occasionally met 

 with ; and one mass was found that weighed, in its crude state., 

 28 lbs. avoirdupoise. This was dug up by a negro at Reed's 

 mine, within a few inches of the surface of the ground. Mar- 

 vellous stories are told respecting this rich mass ; — as that it 

 had been seen by gold-hunters at night, reflecting so brilliant 

 a light, when they drew near to it, with torches, as to make 

 them believe it was some supernatural appearance, and to 

 deter them fi-om further examination. But all stories of this 

 kind, as I was assured by Mi*. Reed the old proprietor, are 

 mere fables. No unusual circumstances were connected with 

 the discovery of this mass, except its being nearer the surface 

 than common. It was melted down and cast into bars soon 

 after its discovery. The spot where it was found has been 

 since subjected to the severest scrutiny, but without any similar 

 harvest Another mass weighing 600 pennywts. was found on 

 the surface of a ploughed field in the vicinity of the Yadkin, 

 twenty miles or more north of Reed's mine. Specimens of 

 great elegance, as I should infer from the descriptions of the 

 miners, are occasionally found ; but for want of mineralogists 

 to reserve them for cabinets, they have always been thrown 

 into the common stock and melted into bars. Mr. Reed found 

 a mass of quartz, having a projecting point of gold of the 

 size of a large pin's head. On breaking it open, a brilliant 

 display of green and yellow colours was presented, which he de- 

 scribed as exceedingly beautiful. The gold weighed 1 2 pennywts. 

 The mineralogist may perhaps recognise in this description 

 a congeries of fine crystals, but on that point the proprietor 

 could not inform me. Although fragments of greenstone and 

 of several argillaceous minerals occur among the gravel of 

 the gold-stratum, yet, in the opinion of the miners, the pre- 

 cious metal is never found attached to any other mineral than 

 cjuartz. Indeed it is rarely attached to any substance, but is 

 commonly scattered promiscuously among the gravel. Its 

 colour is generally yellow with a reddish tinge, though the 

 surface is not unfrecjuently obscured by a partial incrustation of 

 iron or manganese, or by adhering particles of sand. The 

 masses are flattened antl vesicular having angles rounded with 

 evident marks of attrition. The rounded angles and vesicular 

 structure lead to the opinion, which is very general, that the 

 metal has undergone Jitsion ; but any one who inspects the 

 .'{ B 2 specimens 



