Geology of Massachusetts. 63 
only a single crystal of its oxide, weighing 50 grains. But this I 
dug myself from a block of granite in the north-east part of Goshen, 
and on reducing it to metallic tin, it corresponds exactly in every res- 
pect with that metal from England. I have never been able to find 
any more specimens, but it ought be to borne in mind that in England, 
according to a geological writer of that country, ‘it is generally in the 
vicinity of a vein of tin ore, that disseminated grains of tinstone are 
found in the rock.” 
Silver. 
The only place in the state where this metal has been discovered, 
is atthe Southampton lead mines; it there exists in a small proportion 
—only 124 ounces to the ton, in the galena. ‘This isa little greater 
than the average proportion in the English lead mines: but it is 
hardly worth the labor of separating it. It is not improbable that when 
several other ores in the state, such as arsenical iron, sulphuret of iron, 
and zinc, shall be accurately analyzed, they will be found, as in other 
countries, to contain a larger proportion of silver. I would however, 
rather repress than encourage, farther researches for this metal ; for 
as I shall soon have occasion to state more fully, greater expense has 
been incurred, and more weakness and folly exhibited in such re- 
searches, than the community is generally aware of. 
Gold. 
It may perhaps excite a smile, to see gold occupying a place in a 
description of the minerals of Massachusetts. It has not indeed been 
found in this state; but Iam able in this place, to announce the exis- 
tence of a deposit of this metal, in the southern part of Vermont; 
and I feel no small degree of confidence, that it will be found in 
Massachusetts. A statement of the grounds of this belief, may save 
me from the charge of extravagant expectations. 
I have already described an iron mine, as occurring in Somerset, 
Vermont. It is owned by S. V. S. Wilder, Esq. of Brooklyn, New 
York, who has erected a bloomery forge near the spot. Sometime ago, 
one of the workmen engaged in these iron works, saw in the American 
Journal of Science, a suggestion of Professor Eaton of ‘Troy, that 
since the gold of the Southern States, and of Mexico, is in talcose 
slate, we might expect to find it in the same rock in New England ; 
especially about the head branches of Deerfield river. He commen- 
ced an examination in a brook near the mine, and was soon rewarded 
