December 24, 1891] 



NATURE 



79 



General Williamson consulted me as to the probable 

 value of the so-called mine of " pure metallic iron," 

 stating, on the authority of the prospector, that the vein 

 had been traced for a distance of about two miles, that it 

 was 40 yards wide in places, finally disappearing into a 

 mountain, and that a car-load could be taken from the 

 surface and shipped with but little trouble. 



Aglance at the peculiar pitted appearance of the surface, 

 and the remarkable crystalline structure of the fractured 

 portion, convinced me that the fragment was part of a 

 meteoric mass, and that the stories of the immense 

 quantity were such as usually accompany the discovery 

 of so-called native iron mines, or even meteoric stones. 

 As soon as possible, in June, I made a visit to the locality, 

 and found that the quantity had, as usual, been greatly 

 exaggerated. 



There were some remarkable mineralogical and geo- 



! bottom seemed to be from 50 to 100 feet (i 5*24 to 30-45 

 metres) below the surrounding plain. The rocks 

 i which form the rim of the so-called " crater " are sand- 

 1 stones and limestones, and are uplifted on all sides at an 

 I almost uniform angle of from 35^ to 40°. A careful 

 search, however, failed to reveal any lava, obsidian or 

 I other volcanic products. I am therefore unable to ex- 

 I plain the cause of this remarkable geological pheno- 

 menon. I also regret that a severe gallop across the 

 plain had put my photographic apparatus out of order, so 

 \ that the plates I made were of no value. 



About two miles (322 kilometres) from the point at the 

 base of the "crater" in a nearly south-easterly direction, 

 and almost exactly in a line with the longest dimensions 

 of the area over which the fragments were found, two 

 large masses were discovered within about 80 feet (24'38 

 metres) of each other. The area over which the small 



-•f^ *^^ 



Fig. 2. — Showing the polished surfaces. 



logical features which, together with the character of the 

 iron itself, would allow of a good deal of self-deception in 

 a man who wanted to sell a mine. 



Description of Locality. — Nearly all of the small frag- 

 ments were found at a point about ten miles south-east 

 from Caiion Diablo, near the base of a nearly circular 

 elevation which is known locally as " Crater Mountain." 

 I believe this is the same as Sunset Knoll, figured on the 

 topographical sheets of the U.S. Geological Survey. 

 This is 185 miles (29772 kilometres) due north from 

 Tucson, and about 250 miles (402-34 kilometres) west of 

 Albuquerque. 



The elevation, according to the Survey, rises 432 feet 

 (13167 metres) above the plain. Its centre is occupied 

 by a cavity nearly three-quarters of a mile (1-2 kilometres) 

 in diameter, the sides of which are so steep that animals 

 that have descended into it have been unable to escape, 

 and have left their bleached bones at the bottom. The 



NO. I 156, VOL. 45J 



masses were scattered was about one-third of a mile (0-53 

 kilometre) in length, and 120 feet (36-57 metres) in its 

 widest part. The longer dimension extended north-west 

 and south-east. 



Description of the Specimens. — The largest mass dis- 

 covered weighs 201 pounds (91 '171 kilos), and, as the 

 photograph shows (Fig. i), has a somewhat flattened 

 rectangular shape, showing extraordinarily deep and 

 large pits, three of which pass entirely through the iron. 

 The most remarkable example of such perforation is the 

 Signet Iron from near Tucson, Arizona, now in the 

 National Museum, and figured in Prof. F. W. Clarke's 

 Catalogue. 



1 The Signet Iron was discovered about 30 miles (48-28 kilometres) from 

 Tucion. Dr. Geo. H. Horn states that twenty-five years ago he was told 

 by the Spaniards that plenty of iron c >uld be found on a range of hills 

 extending north-west and south-east half-way between Albuquerque and 

 Tucson. 



