634 THE LOWER SILURIAN PERIOD. 



all the localities of the discoveries except Tangier, and in some of 

 them, as at the St Mary's River, Indian Harbour, and Wine Harbour, 

 I have spent days in examining the rocks, not certainly with a special 

 view to the discovery of gold, but often with the assistance of intel- 

 ligent friends who were good observers. The truth is, that in cases 

 of this kind it is difficult to make the initial discovery ; but this once 

 made, it is comparatively easy to trace the productive rocks over 

 considerable districts, if the requisite knowledge of the geological 

 character of these has been obtained. 



The conditions under which gold occurs in Nova Scotia are quite 

 similar to those of other auriferous regions. The principal point of 

 difference is the amount of gold found in rock veins, as compared 

 with alluvial washings derived from their waste — a mere accident of 

 the deposits or of the mode of exploration.' It is probable that the 

 Nova Scotia deposits are strictly a continuation of those which run 

 along the eastern Appalachian slope as far as Alabama, and which 

 may throughout, as in Canada and the Ural Mountains, occur in 

 altered members of the Silurian series. It is to be anticipated 

 that the connexion with the auriferous deposits of the United States 

 may soon be effected by the discovery of gold in the metamorphic 

 districts of New Brunswick. The quartz veins of Nova Scotia are 

 remarkably rich in gold ; and, as already stated, there is no reason 

 that they will be found to diminish in productiveness in following 

 them downward. 



There is little room to doubt that gold will be found throughout 

 the coast metamorphic district of Nova Scotia : more especially the 

 ^ slaty rocks of southern Guysborough, Halifax, Lunenburgh, and the 

 northern parts of Queen's," Shelburne, and Yarmouth, may be expected 

 to be auriferous. Careful examination may show that the gold occurs 

 chiefly or entirely in the veins traversing certain bands of the thick 

 beds of slate and quartz rock in these districts ; and these may be 

 recognised by their mineral character, especially if defined in their 

 relation to the other beds by a detailed survey of the productive 

 localities. Still the indications in one locality may not be unfailing 

 when applied to another ; and in the meantime it would be the best 

 course for explorers to look at all quartz veins, and especially at those 

 occurring in soft dark slaty beds, particularly near the junction of these 

 beds with other rocks. Further, it would seem that the narrower 

 veins, those following the strike of the rocks, and those stained with 

 iron rust, are most likely to be productive. Minute examination 

 should be made, as gold often occurs in a very fine state of division, 

 though sufficiently abundant to pay for extraction. Nor should the 



