RemarJcs on the Gold Mines of Virginia. 109 



under his eye, and a part of it weighed by his own hands, and that 

 the results given above, he believes to have been in all respects cor- 

 rect, both with regard to the veins and the gold obtained from them. 



The Walton Mine, in Louisa County, fotty miles S. W. of Frede- 

 ricksburgh, and belonging to the Walton Mining Company. 



The tract of land in which this mine is situated, contains one hun- 

 dred and four acres. The surface is formed in fine swells and de- 

 pressions, presenting hills, bounded by large curves, and vallies of 

 similar shape. The soil is considered as good for agriculture ; much 

 better than the average of land in the gold region. There are sev- 

 eral good springs of water, and several branches or rivulets quite 

 sufficient for the washing of gold, but not sufficiently copious for 

 driving powerful machinery. The land is clothed mainly with for- 

 est ; the principal kinds of trees are oak of several varieties, pine, 

 hickory, and maple : a good proportion of the trees are large, and 

 well fitted for building or machinery, while the rest of the growth is 

 good for fuel and other ordinary purposes. There are passable 

 roads, communicating with the tract in every direction : some of 

 them are good, and all are capable of being made so with moderate 

 expense. 



The geological structure is similar to that which pervades the gold 

 region of Virginia generally, as far as I have seen it. In this region 

 also slaty rocks form the basis of the country ; their strata are highly 

 inclined : they are not however placed on their edges, as in some 

 parts of the gold country, nor dropped down to a position approach- 

 ing the horizontal, as in other parts. At the place where the mine 

 is opened, the strata form an angle of about thirty five degrees with 

 the perpendicular, and their bearing, by compass, is considerably to 

 the east of north. Several veins of quartz accompany the strata of 

 slate, it is presOmed quite through the territory. This is known to 

 be the fact with the vein that is wrought, and it cannot be reasonably 

 doubted that this is the fact also with all the others, whose knobs, 

 evidently in place, and whose scattered ruins appear here and there 

 above ground, although generally covered by forest, by soil, and by 

 vegetable deposits. These veins are distinctly traced in the tract 

 south, and it is believed, also, in that north ; so that the land is fully 

 and distinctly marked by the characteristic features of the gold re- 

 gion. There are also rich deposits and veins of gold in its iramedi» 



