64 JYotice of Mr. Schoolcraft's View of 



As to the Geological nature of the country, in which the 

 lead mines are situated, we must confess, that we are not 

 quite so well satisfied, as we have found reason to be with 

 almost all the other important facts and opinions, which Mr. 

 Schoolcraft has communicated. 



He informs us that " Bellevue abounds in granite ;" that 

 the only vein of granite rock in the mine country (zs far as 

 he had opportunity to observe) passes across the south- 

 western end of Madison county — runs into Bellevue — is 

 four or five miles wide, and twenty or thirty miles in a di- 

 rection from S. E. to N. W. 



VVe are again informed that the country affords granite, 

 gneiss and mica slate, and that the whole country is bottom- 

 ed on primitive lime stone, that secondary lime stone is met 

 with, and that when it occurs, it lies over transition and 

 primitive rocks. The granite is spoken of in another place, 

 (p. 170) as being a geological phenomenon, as containing 

 imbedded in it or lying upon its surface, gneiss, green stone, 

 porphyry, iron ores, &;c. ; it is spoken of as a red granite, 

 containing very little mica, and as being used for mill stones. 

 It is mentioned as the " only mass of granite known to exist 

 between the primitive ranges of the Alleghany and Rocky 

 mountains," and as being surrounded on all sides, and to an 

 almost immeasurable extent, with secondary lime stone. 



Again, (p. 193) the granite is cited as the " old red 

 granite in mountain masses, with some veins of green stone, 

 green stone porphyry, and gneiss ;" it is said to terminate in 

 very rough and broken high lands. At page 213, it is men- 

 tioned, still again, as giving origin to the river St. Francis, 

 whose " springs gush out among these stupendous piles of 

 red granite." Besides the ores of iron, lead and zinc, 

 " quartz, feldspar, shorl, mica, and graphite are among the 

 minerals furnished by that region, and " green stone, gneiss, 

 and green stone porphyry, are among the larger masses of 

 rock." The green stone, it seems, " is found in large iso- 

 lated fragments, lying promiscuously among the fragments 

 of granite which have tumbled down from the lofty cliffs 

 above, and is rendered porphyritic by crystals of green and 

 flesh-coloured feldspar." 



We have no right to doubt that the rock described is 

 granite, as the principal features delineated, correspond with 

 that supposition. As it is described as being sohtary, the 



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