286 MINERALS. 



The mica, though very pure, was only in very small pieces. The 

 rock in which it occurred seemed to be a gigantic bowlder rather 

 than a rock in place. 



While on the subject of minerals I will say that at Dead Island, 

 some miles farther north, a party of miners boarded us, but did not 

 remain long. On our whole trip along the coast we found quite a 

 number of minerals, but none in quantities sufficient to pay for be- 

 ing worked. We found a mica mine at Dead Island, also, but it 

 did not appear to be so good even, as that at Temple bay. At 

 another locality one of the party found a quarry of very poor Labra- 

 dorite of the black variety ; we obtained a few pieces only. Every- 

 where granite rock predominated. In one locality veins of quartz 

 and mica alternating in thin layers, one above the other, extended 

 for some distance in several directions, bounded, I believe, by gran- 

 ite also. White and black mica were abundant everywhere, but in 

 small pieces. Tourmaline of the black variety was not rare and 

 several remarkably finely terminated crystals were procured. Some 

 fine rubellite was also found. Copper pyrite was common, as was 

 also iron pyrite ; sulphide of iron was very abundant : several pieces 

 of apatite were found ; a large amount of galena and in one locality 

 molybdenite, the latter probably in no very great amount. Poor 

 labradorite in various forms and color ; quite large but very brittle 

 garnets ; argentiferous lead in small quantities ; quartz very clear 

 and glassy ; feldspar of various colors ; and occasionally greenstone 

 like Pike's Peak greenstone, wrongly called labradorite, was 

 found. With this brief account of the mineralogy of the region let 

 us pass to other and more important subjects. 



At Temple bay we spent considerable time dredging, and brought 

 up many curious and rare specimens from the bottom of the bay. 

 A large, bright red holothurian or sea-cucumber, seemed particularly 

 common to this bay, while the smaller varieties also abounded. 

 Shells of many kinds were dredged without number and at every 

 haul of the dredge the shrimps and crustaceans seemed equally 

 abundant. I shall not soon forget a dredging party that took place 

 one evening in this same bay. We started out from the vessel di- 



