10 Gold Region of North Carolina. 



It formerly existed in the rocks of the region in which it is 

 found — whether in veins of quartz exclusively, or also dis- 

 seminated through the rock, is in a degree uncertain ; but I 

 am inclined to think, disseminated also. As the rocks have 

 undergone decomposition, it has fallen out, and now lies 

 mingled in the soil, near the same spot, and bearing the same 

 proportion to the earthy matter, as when inclosed in its origi- 

 nal stony matrix. In a few cases only, where it happened 

 to occupy the side of a steep declivity, it has been carried 

 down during the violent rains into the adjacent low grounds, 

 and the beds of the neighboring streams. 



If these views are correct, the rock formations of this re- 

 gion will possess rather more interest, than when they were 

 regarded as a mere substratum, over which a layer of aurif- 

 erous earth had been brought and deposited, and a few re- 

 marks in relation to their geological character, and with ref- 

 erence to a determination of the question, whether they are 

 primitive, transition or secondary ; granite, argillite, seconda- 

 ry greenstone, or greenstone slate, will not be inappropri- 

 ate. 



The accompanying map is copied from Price & Stroth- 

 er's large map of the State, and though not very accurate, 

 is sufficiently so for our purpose. I have thought an exhibi- 

 tion of a small extent of country, upon a large scale, admit- 

 ting of a distinct view of the different formations that trav- 

 erse the State, preferable to an extension of the map, so as 

 to comprehend the mines of Guilford and R,utherford : our 

 object being an illustration of the geology of the gold re- 

 gion, rather than an account of particular localities. These 

 formations, it will be seen, are four in number ; one of them 

 admitting of a subdivision — 1. Beginning with the upper- 

 most — the alluvial, colored yellow, and coming into contact 

 with all three of the others. 2. What it is agreed, in this 

 country, to call the old red sandstone, colored red. 3. The 

 transition or slate, colored green. 4. The primitive, colored 

 blue, with a red trace passing through it, and indicating the 

 line, along which it is separated into two distinct portions, 

 bearing little resemblance to each other. In noticing each 

 of these more particularly, it will be most convenient to 

 speak of them in the reverse order, commencing with that 

 which is lowest. 



The Primitive. — The existence of a body of primitive 

 rocks in the central and western parts of North Carolina, has 



