Mineralogical Journey. 355 



edge of a wood to the distance of forty or fifty rods, when we began 

 to encounter the principal granite vein of the mountain. At first, it 

 is bare only in patches of a few square feet, and consists mostly of 

 Quartz, of a rose colored tinge ; a few rods farther, we came to a 

 mural front, formed by the sudden uprising of the vein, in the side of 

 which, covering an area of perhaps ten or twelve square feet, we dis- 

 covered the deposit of Beryls, of which we were in search. From 

 this, to the top of the mountain, (one hundred and fifty feet, perhaps, 

 higher up,) and some distance down its southern declivity, the vein 

 continues for the most part uncovered by soil, and several rods in 

 width. It is protruded quite free from the intersected strata, which 

 it overhangs, in some places towards the west, in a manner highly pic- 

 turesque. The geological relations of the rocks are here exceed- 

 ingly interesting ; but as they were particularly studied by Prof. 

 Hitchcock with the express view of connecting them with a series 

 of similar observations upon granite veins elsewhere, and which it is 

 to be hoped, he will ere long give to the public, I shall take no fur- 

 ther notice of them on the present occasion. The granite is coarse 

 grained in the highest sense of the expression ; the Quartz often con- 

 stituting many square yards without any foreign intermixture; while 

 the Feldspar exists in ill-defined crystals of extraordinary dimen- 

 sions, and the Mica, also, in very large plates. The Quartz is of a 

 rose color in numerous spots throughout the vein, and the Beryls, 

 though mostly confined to the spot indicated above, are yet to be met 

 with, occasionally, the whole way up the mountain. 



To return to the cluster of Beryls first mentioned, we here found 

 a number still in view, and impressions in the Quartz from whence 

 others had been detached. The principal part of a crystal of 

 great size, situated high up in the ledge, we were at the pains of 

 measuring, though from its muUlated condition, we were prevent- 

 ed from attempting its disengagement. The horizontal diameter of 

 one of its lateral planes was eight and a half inches, and the length of 

 the crystal, inferring from the portion still remaining and the cavity 

 formed by the part removed, was twenty two inches. It is possess- 

 ed of a considerable degree of translucency, and is of a bluish green 

 color, free from stains. The first blast we caused to be made, how- 

 ever, developed a crystal still more remarkable in point of size and 

 general perfection of figure. It occupied a vertical position, and was 

 uncovered upon its upper terminal, and three of its lateral planes ; 

 the breadth of its lateral faces was five and a half inches, and their 



