Gold. 65 



Mohs, in his Mineralogy, mentions that some small crystals of tin 

 were found in specimens sent to Europe from Chesterfield, Mass. 



Silver, 



The only place in the state where this metal has been discovered, 

 is at the Southampton lead mine ; it there exists in a small proportion 

 only 12 1-2 ounces to the ton, inthegalena. This is a little great- 

 er than the average proportion in the English lead ores ; but it is 

 hardly worth the labor of separating it. It is not improbable that when 

 several other ores in the state, such as arsenical iron, sulphuret of iron 

 and of zinc, shall be accurately analyzed, they will be found, as in other 

 countries, to contain a larger proportion of silver. I would, however, 

 rather discourage than encourage, farther researches for this metal; 

 fo r as I shall soon have occasion to state more fully, greater expense 

 has been incurred, and more weakness and folly exhibited in such re- 

 searches, than the community is generally aware o 



Gold, 



It may perhaps excite a smile, to see gold occupying a place in a 

 description of the minerals of Massachusetts. It has not indeed been 

 found in this state; but I am able in this place, to announce the exis- 

 tence of a deposit of this metal, in the southern pait of Vermont; 

 and I feel no small degree of confidence, that it will be found in Mas- 

 sachusetts. A statement of the grounds of this belief! may save me 

 from the charge of extravagant expectations. 



I have already described an iron mine, as occurring in Somerset, 

 Vermont. It is owned by S. V. S. Wilder, Esq. of Brooklyn, New 

 York, who has erected a bloomery forge near the spot. Sometime ago, 

 one of the workmen engaged in these iron works, saw in the American 

 Journal of Science, a suggestion of Professor Eaton of Troy, that 

 since the gold of the Southern states, and of Mexico, is in talcose 

 slate, we might expect to find it in the same rock in New England : 

 especially about the head branches of Deerfield river. He commen- 

 ced an examination in a brook near the mine, and was soon rewarded 

 by the discovery of a spherical mass of gold, of the value of more 

 than a dollar ; afterwards he found other small pieces. At the request 

 of Mr. Wilder, I visited this spot a few weeks ago, and found that 

 an individual conversant with the gold mines in the Southern States, 

 and acquainted with the process of washing the metal from the soil, 

 had just been examining the region now spoken o The result 



9 



