THE 



AMERICAN 



JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, &e. 



Art. I. — Sketch of the Geology of the Arctic Regions, and the Step- 

 pes of Russia, with notices of Siberia, Kamschatka, and the K^i' 

 rile Islands. 



Prepared and communicated for this Journal. 



To scientific research, the Arctic regions have been, until within a 

 few years, a terra incognita, seldom approached, except by a few 

 persevering missionaries, or adventurous whalemen, who accomplish- 

 ed little for science, beyond pioneering the way for future investiga- 

 tors. To their diligence, and the observations of a few travellers, 

 but still more to the exploring expeditions under Parry and Frank- 

 lin, this age is indebted for whatever is known of the high northern 

 latitudes in this hemisphere. These examinations were made under 

 circumstances, little favorable to geological science. No mechanical 

 facilities were at hand — no deep mines disclosed the secrets of their 

 formation, or developed their mineral and metallic treasures — the frost 

 bound rocks, and sterile earth, with here and there a ravine, or a 

 rifted mountain, peering above the icy desoladon, were the only in- 

 dices of what lay shrouded beneath. 



To give a comprehensive view of the rocky formations, and the 

 minerals of the arctic regions, the materials furnished by McKenzie, 

 Crantz, Egede, Von Troil, and other travellers, with the facts ascer- 

 tained by the naturalists in the exploring expeditions, under Parry 

 and Franklin, will be arranged in consecutive order, beginning on 

 the North West witli 



I. The JYorthern bluffs of the Rocky Mountains, and the Mc- 



Kenzie River, from Great Bear Lake, in 65° JVorth lat. 



to the JYorthern Ocean. 

 II. From Slave Lake to the Arctic Ocean, by tlyg Copper Mine 



River. 

 Vol. XVII.— No. 1. 1 ^ 



