3^ On Metallifi Minerals., 



By damming up a small stream running into the river 

 ^'um tlie west, ample conveniences for washing the ore 

 are obtained, and power sufficient to drive the furnace 

 bellows, which is moved by a wheel thirty-two feet in 

 diameter. A grist mill, a forge for drawing bar iron, with 

 a hammer weighing five hundred weight, a mill for grind- 

 ing charcoal for the moulding room, a saw mill, and 

 another forge, having also one hammer of five hundred 

 Aveight. The supply of water is constant throughout the 

 year. 



The description of ore made use of is the bog ore, which 

 is obtained from the neighbourhood of the works, not, 

 however in the immediate vicinity, as that, although not 

 entirely exhausted, is said to be scattered over the ground 

 in such small deposits as not to be worth the expense and 

 labour of making roads to them, while ore can be procured 

 in great abundance, in other })laces though at a greater 

 distance. The nearest point from which it is brought at 

 present is six miles, and farthest nine. 



This ore is of excellent quality, and occurs in patches of 

 different sizes, varying in thickness from six to twelve 

 inches. It is found from four inches to one foot below the 

 surface. 



Those places which were exhausted of ore many years 

 ago, are said to exhibit no appearance of a renewed supply. 

 It is probable however, that those exhausted spots which 

 have become filled subsequently with stagnant water, 

 would, after continuing in that state for some time, afford 

 some appearance of the kind. This species of renovation 

 is conunon to bog ore, and where observed, it has been 

 often supposed to be owing to the growth of the ore ; the 

 rationale however, appears to be this, — water combining 



