404 On Metallic Minerals. 



the river, and perhaps fifty feet above its level. The sand- 

 stone which is next met Avith on the shore, about one mile 

 and a quarter below the falls, is, as I conceive, of the old 

 red sandstone formation, although its colour is rather white 

 than red. It forms a low bank, running parallel to the 

 river, at the distance of about one hundred feet. It dips 

 with the river, but faster, in consequence of which it is 

 soon lost in that direction. Its total depth is about twenty 

 feet, one half of which is below the surface of the ground 

 at the base of the section, and about one-third is below 

 that of the river. It is divided into strata, varying from a 

 few inches to nearly two feet in thickness. The upper 

 strata are rubbly, often friable, and of a reddish colour 

 externally, but the lower turn out some excellent blocks, 

 andhaslars from five to six feet in length, may be obtained, 

 although not easily. On account of the whiteness of its 

 colour, the fineness of its texture, but above all, on account 

 of the obstinacy with which it endures the greatest heat of 

 the furnace, this stone has acquired a kind of notoriety, and 

 in consequence, 1 was sent a few years ago, by order of His 

 Excellency Lord Dalhousie, to report upon it, with the view, 

 that if found to be of a favourable description for building, 

 permission might be obtained from tlie proprietor to remove 

 a sufficient quantity of it to erect a monument to Wolfe and 

 Montcalm, a work at that time in contemplation. The 

 report was unfavourable, partly on account of the expense 

 of quarrying the good material, but more because tbe best 

 of it was not considered by any means so well calculated to 

 resist the disintegrating action of the atmosjjucrc, as the 

 stone (a grey wacke from Cap Rouge) of which the 

 monument M'as ultimately built. It does not follow, 

 because a stone stands the furnace well, that it should 



