Gold Region of North Carolina. 9 
close upon the bank of the river, and seldom even there, met 
with any soil that did not appear to have proceeded from a 
rock that had undergone decomposition in its original bed. 
I have been led to suspect that Mr. Rothe may have bee 
mistaken in regard to these alluvial deposits, as he evidently 
was about the granite in the neighborhood of Salisbury. 
earances about and above the Narrows of the 
Yadkin, can have little bearing upon the question respecting 
the existence of an alluvial stratum, in which the gold col- 
lected by washing is supposed to be found, because with one, 
r at most two exceptions, (the Beaver-dam and Cox? S, 
which last is inconsiderable) the mines are below, or with- 
out, this mountain barrier, or on ground too elevated to per- 
mit of their being reached by the water in consequence of 
= obstructions “interposed at this place. 
. The evidence in favor of the correctness of Mr. Rothe’s 
views, as exhibited in his paper in the Journal, was not so 
strong as to prevent his entertaining and publishing a very 
different opinion in regard to the manner in which the gold 
has been distributed over the surface of the country; and 
this after he had enjoyed those opportunities of investigating 
the geology of the district, and examining the mines to which 
he refers; as will appear from the following extract from a 
communication of his inserted in the Western Cinch 
and bearing date June 5, 1826. 
“Tt has been incorrectly supposed by some that = was 
formed in the alluvial tracts, but this opinion must certainly 
appease erroneous, when it is known that gold is not one 
quently found on the summits of elevated portions of coun- 
try, as is the case in Randolph County. We can trace the 
old in the fissures of rocks, as well in the highirr as in the 
lesser elevated land. These veins have been burst asunder 
by subterranean explosions, and the gold scattered over the 
adjacent regions, and some of it carried down in the water 
courses.” 
But without calling in the agency of either an universal 
deluge, an inundation bursting over the Alleghany Moun- 
tains, or subterranean explosions, the circumstances under 
which the gold of North Carolina presents itself, and is aa 
lected, may, I apprehend, admit of a very simple 
explanation and that which I would propose is the follow. 
es XVI,—No. 1. 2 
