NOME VII. LABRADOR ROCK. Q5 



which, if it had been properly managed, would 

 have proved little worse than a silver mine. 

 Some of the English settlers, walking along the 

 borders of the inland rivers, observed particular 

 stones of a shining opaline colour; these when 

 slit, or cut in a mill and polished, displayed all 

 the variegated tints of colouring that are to be 

 seen in the plumage of the peacock, pigeon, or 

 most delicate humming-birds. Some of these 

 beautiful stones being sent as a present to their 

 friends in England, soon attracted the notice of 

 the lovers of the fine productions of nature, who 

 bought them up with avidity. From England 

 the same desire spread all over Europe, and 

 every collector was unhappy till he could enrich 

 his collection with specimens of different co- 

 lours, which are no less than seven, often mixed 

 with varying tints and .shades. Some of the 

 larger specimens have four distinct colours upon 

 the same slab ; but more generally each stone, 

 as found in the lump, has its own particular co- 

 lour, and which most commonly runs through 

 the whole. The light blue and gold is the most 

 common ; green mixed with yellow, is the next; 

 fire with a purple tinge, not so common; the 

 fine dark blue and silver, still less; and fine 

 scarlet and purple, least of all. The largest spe- 



