134 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



a strong garlicky odor to the adiiospliere on a hot 

 day. When struck by the liammer the arsenical 

 odor is very strongly perceived. The arsenic is 

 in thin layers, forniing beds with the slate 3 or 4 

 inches in tliickness. It is probable that ores of 

 cobalt will be (bund associated with this mineral. 

 Mr. Wiliiiott thinks that he found traces of it in 

 one of iiis specimens. 



AVhite and magnetic iron pyrites also are found 

 at this place. In one of the dykes of trap rock 

 on the hill, there is so niueli magnetic pyrites 

 scattered in fine particles in the rock as to give it 

 a decided polarity, so that approaching a cotnpass 

 to one point on the rock the needle points to it, 

 and is reversed when the compass is carried a 

 few inches beyond it. Yet there is nothing more 

 to be seen at that point in the rock than elsewhere 

 in the ledge. It is merely a magnetic pole of the 

 mass. 



The mica slate rocks of Vermont and New 

 Hampshire frequently include valuable beds of 

 limestone, which is generally crystalline in its 

 character, and exhibits no remains of fossils. 

 This variety of limestone is supposed by many 

 distinguished geologists to have been originally 

 an aqueous deposit of marine shells and corals, 

 which subsequently were melted into crystalline 

 carbonate of lime by heat, wliile the pressure of 

 superincumbent rocks and of the ocean, preven- 

 ted the escape of the carbonic acid gas. By arti- 

 ficial experiments, Sir James Hall long ago dem- 

 onstrated the probability of sucli a metamorphosis, 

 and since then Von Buch, Elie De Beaumont, 

 Dufrenoy and others, have by observation, proved 

 that many limestones, ^originally consisting of 

 shells, have been converted into granular marble 

 and crystallized limestone, by the agency of erup- 

 ted rocks. I have seen but one locality near the 

 upper waters of the Connecticut, where any tia- 

 ces of organic forms could be discovered in the 

 limestone, and in that instance, if remains of 

 corallines originally existed, they have been so 

 altered that no trace of organic structure remams. 

 By means of extended researches on the Vermont 

 side of the Connecticut river, we may perhaps be 

 able hereafter to satisfactorily account for the 

 origin of the limestone in queston. 



From observations at other localities, I am dis- 

 posed to consider all those limestones which were 

 iormerly called primary as metamorphic rocks, 

 produced in the manner before stated. It is also 

 an interesting fact, that the limestones in the mica 

 slate in tlie region about to be described, are li-ee 

 from magnesia, while those beds in other portions 

 of the country, which are included in talcose slate 

 and hornblentle rock, or which occur in the vi- 

 cinity of serpentine rocks, are generally niagne- 

 sian, especially where in contact with those mag- 

 nesian rocks. 



Our present section passes over an important 

 bed of limestone, which occurs about six miles 

 north eastward from Haverhill Corner, on the 

 west side of Black Mountain, and to the north 

 west of the Sugar Loaf, near the foot of which 

 it was first discovered, forming the basin of a 

 small spring. This spring had excavated a deep 

 well in the rock, so that a pole could be thrust 

 down to the dejjth of twenty feet. Some person 

 visiting this spring as a curious natural well, sug- 

 gested that the white rock might be limestone, 

 and ujion trial this proved to be the case. A 

 portion of the rock was quarried, out and burnt 

 into lime, but no attempt was made to ascertain 

 the extent and ^alue of the bed. The first at- 

 tempts made to burn the rock into lime were 

 exceedingly rude and imperfect, so that the local- 

 ity did not acquire a favorable reputfrtion. I have 

 since ascertained that the limestone forms regular 

 beds of great dimensions ; and that it will make 

 excellent lime. The first opening was made ad- 

 jacent to the spring where the limestone is of a 

 beautiful white color and is highly crystalline. 

 Strata marks are indicated by light brown streaks 

 containing mica. These streaks resist the action 

 of the weather, and stand out in relief where the 

 runestoue is worn away. The wall rock of the 

 bed is mica slate, but its boundaries have not yet 

 been fully disclosed. 



The second opening, a few rods distant, exhi- 

 bits a regular bed of limestone, shaded slightly 

 with blue, like that of Thoniaston in Maine. It 

 is included in mica slate, the strata of which run 

 N. 57deg. E.,S. .57 deg. W., and dip N. W. GO 

 degrees. The limestone measured at right angles 

 to its direction is 23 feet 4 inches wide. 



The third opening was made in a [Kisture, and 

 discloses the other extremity of the bed first de- 

 scribed. The whole width of ^lis limestone is 

 400 feet, and its present obser^d length is about 

 feet, but it is evident that it runs with the 

 strata to a much greater distance and will proba- 

 bly be found to continue south-westward, form- 

 ing a bed several miles in length. If the map of 

 the State is correct, it should, from its course, 

 run very near the north part of tlie village at 

 Haverhill Corner. At present, the superficial 

 soil prevents our ascertaining whether this is the 



se. 



Mr. W. Gannett has purchased the limestone 

 beds above described, and has secured a most 

 aluable tract of woodland for the supply of fuel. 

 New and improved kilns will be elected, and lime 

 will be furnished in abundance, on very reasona- 

 ble terms. 



This locality is of inestimable value to the 

 State, saving a vast outlay for foreign lime, while 

 it is evident from the analysis of the rock, that 

 Haverhill lime will prove to be of a superior 

 quality. (See chemical analysis of this linie- 



Bath. — From Haverhill Corner to Bath, we 

 observed the mica slate rocks in regular strata, 

 which dip to the south-eastward, and run north- 

 east and south-west. 



Two dykes of greenstone trap intersect tlie 

 strata and alter the texture of the rock. In one 

 place we observed the mica slate possessing 

 strong magnetism with polarity, so as to 

 the compass needle. This was probably owing 

 to the presence of minute grains of magnetic ))y 

 rites in the rock. In Bath, near the bridge, oc 

 curs a hard flinty slate passing into mica slate. It 

 is evidently an altered rock. Several specimens 

 of Galena or sulphuret of lead were presented 

 to me for examination. It forms a small vein with 

 quartz, and occurs on the town farm, but is not 

 supposed to be of sufl^>cient magnitude to prove 

 valuable. On cupelling a fragment of this gal 

 na, it was found to contain a small proportion of 

 silver, but it would not be worth extracting, 

 less very large ([nantities of iln- ore could be ob- 

 tained. Pyritilbrous slate al.^o occurs, but it docs 

 not appear to be suflicientiy rich for the econom- 

 ical manufacture of alum. 



The slate containing this sulphuret of iron, has 

 been mistaken for the shale of the coal formation, 

 and attempts were formerly made to discover coal 

 in it, but of course unsuccessfully. 



Brick clay is abundant in Bath, and extensive 

 yards exist for the manufacture of bricks. 



I was informed that some of the clay bed 

 would not make brick of good quality, and on 

 examining them, ascertained that they contained 

 a small proportion of carbonate of lime, but not 

 sufficient to entitle tlie clay to rank as a calcare- 

 ous marl. The calciferous clay occurs in thin 

 seams, and can be distinguished readily by pour- 

 ing a little muriatic acid upon the clay, when 

 effervescence will take place, owing to the de- 

 composition of the carbonate of lime by the 

 acid and the disengagement of its carbonic acid 

 gas. 



I was informed of the existence of some small 

 veins of iron and lead ores in Landaff, but was 

 unable at that time to visit them. Specimens 

 were obtained and have been analysed in my 

 laboratory. (Sec reports of analyses of miner- 

 als.) 



The remainder of this section was explored 

 by my assistant.?, who present the following Re- 

 port : 



Geology and Topography of the JYorlhem corner of 

 the State, by Messrs. fVhilney and Williams. 



The principal object in our short excursion to 

 the Indian Stream settlement, and the country 

 lying near the Margalloway, was to procure the 

 necessary Geological information for the map to 

 be published in the final report, and also to ob- 

 tain what topographical information we could 

 with regard to the heights of the mountains, 

 courses of the rivers, and nature of the soil, 

 since but little has been done with any degree 

 of accuracy in that far-removed section of the 

 State. 



Besides the usual difficulties attendant on such 

 investigations in the woods, we were obliged to 

 contend with a severe srorm of rain and snow, 

 v/hich for twenty-two days continued to impede 

 our progress. 



The rocks of the section extending from Ha- 

 arhill north, are almost entirely mica slate, of- 

 ten much contorted and filled with quartz veins, 

 with occasional veins of injected granite, and it is 

 not till we arrive at Stewarlstown that we find 

 the first signs of the clay slate, in numerous 

 boulders scattered over the tops of the high hills 

 in that vicinity. The character of the soil then 

 undergoes a mai'ked change, becoming more re- 

 tentive, and is peculiarly adapted to the culture of 

 wheat, as we were assin-ed by the intelligent far- 

 mers in that vicinity. 



The surface of the vicinity of Stewartstown is 

 composed almost entirely of diluvial detritus, 

 brought from the north, which is piled up in hills, 

 some of them of coiisldi niMr elevation. The 

 materials here acciiiiiul.itril li.ive evidently been 

 brought in a fincl\ ilniiliil >i;ilc from the clay 

 slate and limestone ludswljieli extend across the 

 extreme north of the State and the adjacent re- 

 gions of Canada, since no such rock exists in 

 place for a great distance to the south. 



South Hill, in Stewartstown, is, from our ob- 

 servations, about 2000 feet above the sea-level. 



The road from Stewartstown to the Indian 

 Stream settlement, at the outlet of Connecticut 

 Lake, is almost impassable for wagons. This 

 village, which is the most northerly inhabited 

 place in New Hampshire, may consist of a dozen 

 lionses. The whole Indian Stream settlement, so 

 called, comprises 315 persons, according to the 

 last census. The falls ot the Connecticut, at the 

 outlet of the lake, fiirnish excellent water power, 

 on which a saw-mill is already built. The shores 

 of this lake and the country adjoining are gently 

 undulating. Camel's Rump, rising in the N. E., 

 is the only high mountain seen from this jioint. 

 Connecticut Lake is about 1G94 feet above the le- 

 vel of the sea. 



The descent from the 2d Lake, as it is com- 

 monly called, to the first or largest Connecticut 

 Lake, is rapi<l. The course of the river, which is 

 here hardly more than n small brook, is among 

 large boulders of granite and clay slate, but no 

 where are the rocks to be seen in place. 



After crossing the second Lake, we continued 

 our inarch eastward over the range of hills which 

 separate the waters flowing into the Magalloway 

 from those which empty into the Connecticut. 

 The highest point observed by us was about 2130 

 feet above the sea-level. 



From the 2d Lake to the State line we sup- 

 pose to be about 5 1-2 miles. After meeting 

 with the State line, we continued to follow it, till, 

 at a distance of about 5 miles from ourcainj), we 

 arrived at the base of Camel's Rump Mt. Here 

 we lost all traces of the line, which is very indis- 

 tinctly spotted, and evidently has not been touch- 

 ed for many years. After spending some time in 

 searching for the point where the line must have 

 crossed tlie mountain, we gave it up and ascend- 

 ed to the summit, where we pitched our tent. 

 Here we remained for two diiys during one of 

 the violent storms so conmion in this elevated re- 

 gion, which borders on the high table-land of 

 Canada. The last day being clear, and the 

 barometer having risen apparently to its usual 

 height, we have calculated from the observations 

 the approximate height of the mountain at3(il5 

 feet above the sea-level. This, it will be seen, is 

 one of the highest mountains in the State next to 

 the White Mountain range. Its geological char- 

 acter is peculiar. The specimens which we ob- 

 tained from various parts of the mountain from 

 the rock in place, consisted of amorphous mai-ses 

 of hornstone, of various hues of color, from a 

 light apple green to almost bl;ick. The moun- 

 tain is covered with a low and tangled under- 

 growth, with stunted fir-balsams and sjiriice. We 

 1 egret that, owing to foul weather and the ex- 

 hausted state of our stock of provisions, our ob- 

 servations were not sufficiently extensive to de- 

 termine whether this singular rock was erupted 

 from below in a state of fusion, or was altered 

 from clay .=late, or whether its peculiar charac- 

 ter is owing to large masses of underlying trap- 

 rock. 



It is not probable that this mountain was ever 

 before ascended by while men, for, though wc 

 searched diligently, we were unable to find aity 

 marks of former visitants, sncli as spotted trees 

 or bushed paths. But although the ascent was 

 difficult, we were amply repaid by the magnifi- 

 cent extent of the view which was dis|ilayed be- 

 fore us as the veil of clouds gradually rolled away 



