4 Gold Mines of Georgia. 



In Fig. 2, the manner in which shoal deposits are formed is ex- 

 hibited ; a is a stratum of indurated gneiss, and b, b, are decomposed 

 strata. The former is the base of the ridge, terminating abruptly on 

 the side of the stream ; c is its ragged projections, which have inter- 

 cepted the gravel and gold. Beyond the more powerful agency of 

 rivers, we find the creeks, branches, &:c. abrading the original strata 

 and forming their deposits, and it is remarkable that the smaller the 

 stream, the more angular the fragments of rock, and the gold is more 

 ragged. As the transverse and longitudinal sections of these branches 

 are more various than those of the rivers, it is to be expected that 

 the deposits will occur under different circumstances, and we ac- 

 cordingly find that in some places they are lodged on the edges of 

 strata, in others they fill up hollows, above and below which, the strata 

 run out to the day as in figures 3 and 4. 



