128 Mineralogical Journey, 



On gaining the high ground to the east, after leaving Mink Pond, 

 the White Mountains, still twenty miles in advance, came into full 

 view, together with the Franconia range, (a south western spur of 

 those mountains) whose lower peaks were separated from us only by a 

 fertile valley of two or three miles in width. It was but the commence- 

 ment of November 5 yet the summits of Mount Washington, Adams 

 and La Fayette, were already capped with snow ; whose dazzling 

 whiteness, as reflected to us by the declining sun, served to render 

 still more sombre the dark foliage of the firs by which their sides 

 were mantled. The view of these elevations from this road is cer- 

 tainly not surpassed by any to be obtained upon this side of the range ; 

 which to travellers visiting these mountains, should, I think recom- 

 mend it above the one commonly taken, and which lies several miles 

 to the north. 



6. Franconia minerals. 



A wish to visit the iron mine of Franconia had been one principal 

 reason of our journey to the north ; and the specimens from thence 

 which we had met with in the different cabinets upon the route, had 

 only served to heighten this desire. We therefore remained here 

 nearly a week ; during which time, we spared no pains in investigating, 

 to the best of our ability, • its mineral riches. A longer space, I am 

 aware, would have been requisite for doing it full justice ; and I have 

 no doubt that many facts, relating both to its mineralogy and geology, 

 still await future observation. 



The mine is situated upon a mountain of moderate elevation, most- 

 ly covered with wood j and at a distance of four miles from the little 

 village of Franconia. Nothing worthy of notice occurs, until you 

 arrive within three quarters of a mile of the excavations for the ore. 

 Here we begin to observe in the boulders and loose stones by the 

 road side, brownish black crystals of Stauroiide, very nearly of the 

 same size with those described above, but differing from them as re- 

 spects their modification and tendency to composition. They are 

 shorter in proportion to their diameter, and have the six lateral faces 

 nearly of the same breadth : and it is almost as rare to meet with a 

 single crystal among them, as it was a compound one at Mink Fond. 

 At this spot, also, and particularly in a large boulder just beyond the 

 last house as you ascend the mountain, are found dull black Garnets^ 

 in very distinct dodecahedrons, from half an inch to one inch in di- 

 ameter. They are so thickly imbedded as often to be in immediate 



