Gold Region of North Carolina. 9 



close upon the bank of the river, and seldom even there, met 

 with any soil that did not appear to have proceeded from a 

 rock that had undergone decomposition in its original bed. 

 I have been led to suspect that Mr. Rothe may have been 

 mistaken in regard to these alluvial deposits, as he evidently 

 was about the granite in the neighborhood of Salisbury. 



3. The appearances about and above the Narrows of the 

 Yadkin, can have little bearing upon the question respecting 

 the existence of an alluvial stratum, in which the gold col- 

 lected by washing is supposed to be found, because with one, 

 or at most two exceptions, (the Beaver-dam and Cox's, 

 which last is inconsiderable) the mines are below, or with- 

 out, this mountain barrier, or on ground too elevated to per- 

 mit of their being reached by the water in consequence of 

 any obstructions interposed at this place. 



4. The evidence in favor of the correctness of Mr. Rothe's 

 viev/s, as exhibited in his paper in the Journal, was not so 

 strong as to prevent his entertaining and publishing a very 

 different opinion in regard to the manner in which the gold 

 has been distributed over the surface of the country ; and 

 this after he had enjoyed those opportunities of investigating 

 the geology of the district, and examining the mines to which 

 he refers ; as will appear from the following extract from a 

 communication of his inserted in the Western Carolinian, 

 and bearing date .Tune 5, 1826. 



" It has been incorrectly supposed by some that gold was 

 formed in the alluvial tracts, but this opinion must certainly 

 appear erroneous, when it is known that gold is not unfre- 

 quently found on the summits of elevated portions of coun- 

 try, as is the case in Randolph County. We can trace the 

 gold in the fissures of rocks, as well in the higher as in the 

 lesser elevated land. These veins have been hurst asunder 

 by subtei'ranean explosions, and the gold scattered over the 

 adjacent regions, and some of it carried down in the water 

 courses."' 



But without calling in the agency of either an universal 

 deluge, an inundation bursting over the Alleghany Moun- 

 tains, or subterranean explosions, the circumstances under 

 which the gold of North Carolina presents itself, and is col- 

 lected, may, I apprehend, admit of a very simple and easy 

 explanation ; and that which I would propose is the follow- 

 ing. 



Vol. XVI.— No. 1. 2 



