reaching the limestone.* A shaft has also been sunk on the vein to the 

 depth of fifty -five feet, -and 'at the bottom the granite had been reached, 

 an opportunity was presented in the level from the bottom of the shaft 

 to make an examination on its line of strike, and from all that could be 

 seen, (as there had been much caving in of the walls) it is evident that 

 the metallic vein is confined to the calcareous rock, as no vestige of -it 

 was to be found in any part of the granite below it. 



' At one point the decomposed vein showed a power of four or five 

 inches for two feet in depth, this was followed down to the granite, and 

 at its junction all traces of the vein ceased to exist. It is not -improba 

 ble that a well defined sett may be found under the valley, but it will 

 require much exploration and expenditure of capital to determine that 

 point, as mining operations cannot be entered upon with small means 

 and ultimate prospects of success. . . 



Traces of this mineral are to be met with for several miles north and 

 south of this locality, and its distribution over so wide a range of coun 

 try induces a belief that a profitable vien may yet be found in these 

 mountains. 



IKON. This metal is found in almost every variety of form, from one 

 end of the Coast Mountains to the other, the prevailing mineral how 

 ever, is the. peroxide and protoxide of this metal; the latter is often 

 found in the form of hydrate, and when occuring in proximity to serpen 

 tine rocks often found to be more or less auriferous. This mineral is 

 largely developed in some parts of the auriferous district of Mariposa 

 county, and from one of the most valuable receptacles of gold among 

 the gold-bearing rocks of that section. 



SULPHATE IKON. This article known in commerce under the name 

 of " Copperas," is found native in large quantities near the town of 

 Santa Cruz. Its principle had occurred a short distance west of the 

 house of Mr. Medor in a gulch running from the mountains through 

 the low hills to the coast. I followed the course of the ravine from 

 where it enters the high hill near the crossing of the road north-west of 

 the town to near the sea, the average depth of its banks varies from 

 fifteen to thirty feet, its length from the hill to the coast being about 

 two miles. 



The copperas formed an efflorescence- on the sides and bottom of the 

 ravine covering entirely the earth and stones, on which a great quantity 

 had crystalized ; it was not difficult to scoop up a pound or more, at any 

 one of these places ; the banks of the ravine above the water were cov 

 ered with the effloresced salt to such a thickness that a white and green 

 color was given for several yards in length, the- ground being entirely 

 obscured. The depth of the earth tfyat was thoroughly impregnate*:! 

 with the salt, would average ten feet for the -whole length of the ravine 

 the depth to which thfs descends below the surface is unknown, but it' is 

 probably considerable ; the rocks at the bottom are a micaceous schist 

 and were broken into for two or three feet and at that depth seemed as 

 strongly charged with the ferruginous salt as at the surface. A small 

 stream of -water runs through the gulch which is permanent throughout 

 the year, and carries a sufficient quantity to answer all the purposes of 



