Sketch of the Geology of Northern Europe, 1 7 



In the mountains of Lapland, and at their bases, fine white sand 

 in patches, and black and grey slate, quartz, and sandstone are 

 found.* 



On the Pargas islands in lat. 60° N. in the gulf of Bothnia are 

 long steep ridges of gneiss, crowned with birch and fir trees. On 

 one of the principal islands is found the mineral called pargasite, 

 which occurs in large veins of milk white limestone, and traverses 

 the island from side to side. The structure of this limestone is not 

 sufficiently fine, to be called marble, but it is variegated with clouds of 

 beautiful yellow, and waves of grey, and contains irregular veins of 

 augite and hernblende rock. Bright purple spots supposed to be 

 fluor, and moroxite, coccolite, and romantzovite, occur in some of 

 its varieties. Tourmaline is sometimes, though not often seen. A 

 remarkable mineral found in this rock, is chondrodite. It is so much 

 harder than the limestone in which it is imbedded, that the latter wash- 

 ing and wearing away by the weather, leaves it in orange colored, 

 and yellow knobs, and protuberances, on the surface, while it adheres 

 in points, or clings in masses, to a limestone centre. It is also found 

 in many parts of Finland, always in primitive limestone, passing through 

 gneiss. Gneiss, more or less distinctly foliated, forms the common 

 rock of the country, on the adjacent continent. The rock of Abo 

 is an exception, being an example of stratified fine grained granite, 

 very hard, studded with garnets. North and east are granitic slates ; 

 rose quartz ; felspar ; copper ore ; garnets ; and primitive limestone. 



Primitive granitic slates continue northeasterly, and form the rap- 

 ids or falls of Imatra, "one of the grandest spectacles of the north." 

 A fine deep black slate is quarried near Lake Ladoga, " where is 

 found a garnet rock,''^ and further north is a species of potstone from 

 which are made bowls and various utensils. 



South of this tract, the primitive rocks lose their lamellar structure, 

 and a true granite prevails. Felspar, spotted with small grains and 

 crystals of hornblende, and black mica, predominates in the granite 

 opposite Borgo, and rolled masses occur near Petersburg. Between 

 Borgo and Louisa, are found bowlders of jet black mica slate, with 

 and without garnets, and a red and yellow hornstone. As far as the 

 granite is found in situ, it is particularly marked by oval and round 

 masses of reddish felspar. Hornblende is plentiful, and mixed with 



* Ebrenmalm's Travels. 



Vol. XVII.—No. 1. 3 



