Discovery of more Native Copper in Whately^ Mass. 323 



by sandstone, covered by drift. In the western half, we find 

 hornblende and mica slates, syenite and granite. Where these 

 rocks emerge from the sandstone, the land rises, thongh not very 

 rapidly, into hills a iew hundred feet high. And it was along 

 the line of junction between the sandstone and primary rocks, 

 that the first piece of native copper was found ; but the last one 

 occurred in a ploughed field (as did the first) two miles farther to 

 the west, that is, among hills and in the primary region. Now had 

 they been brought from any trap range within the valley of the 

 Connecticut, they must have been carried, especially the one last 

 found, in a nearly southwest direction. But the direction taken 

 by the drift in all the region was southerly, or usually a little 

 southeast, as is shown by the boulders and the strias on the rocks ; 

 and I have never met with a single example in which any block 

 has been transported southwesterly. Nor do any fragments of 

 trap or sandstone occur as far west in the primitive region as the 

 locality of the recently found native copper. I incline, therefore, 

 to the opinion, that neither of these specimens originated in the 

 trap or the sandstone, but in the primary rocks to the north of the 

 places where they were found. The region is one in which the 

 primary slates have been greatly disturbed by the protrusion of 

 syenite and granite, and therefore one where we might look for 

 mineral veins as well as for the powerful agency of heat. Large 

 veins of galena, with some pyritous copper and manganese, do in 

 fact occur in the northwest part of Whately and Williamsburg, 

 and a powerful vein of quartz with manganese exists in Conway, 

 nearly north from the localities of the copper. 



If this view should turn out to be correct, it may be that a val- 

 uable deposit of copper will one day be found in the region above 

 described ; and it is chiefly to turn the attention of observers to 

 that region, that I have presented these considerations. 



The native copper above described is mostly coated by the 

 green carbonate and the red oxide. (?) The last specimen dis- 

 covered was partially covered also with crytals of quartz deeply 

 implanted. The extremities of these have all been broken off in 

 efforts to cut the specimens into pieces, but their lower extremity 

 may still be seen in the only fragment of this fine specimen which 

 can now be found, and which I lay upon the table with the for- 

 mer specimen uninjured. 



