122 Na.ural Resources of the Western Country. 
Arr. XI.—Remarks* upon the Natural Resources of the Western 
Country. 
In the perusal of our Scientific Journals, as well as of those books 
which contain the localities of different minerals, we are surprised 
to find the little mention that is made of the Western Country. 
Why is this the case? Is it because the west is deficient in natural 
productions? Certainly not. The testimony of the few scientific men, 
who have travelled through those parts, is amply sufficient to con- 
vince any one, (who might suspect the partiality of nature,) of the 
great abundance of her productions in the western mountains. 
The true explanation of this neglect, if I may so call it, arises partly 
from the fact, that very few scientific men have travelled through and 
explored those regions ; but principally, from the pursuits of the in- 
habitants themselves ; who, having to prepare their lands for culti- 
vation, had at first, but little time to spend in searching for the 
treasures of the earth, further than immediate necessities required. 
But as this period of preparation is almost past, and the people 
are becoming settled in life, they only want an impulse, to engage 
in scientific pursuits themselves. ‘This impulse can be given by 
their more scientific countrymen of the East. Here then is a wide 
field for the talents, industry, and patriotism of our mineralogists, 
geologists, and other students of nature. By an examination of these 
regions, they will not only confer an important benefit upon science, 
but they will do an essential service to the western states. 
I think I may say with safety, that the Cumberland, and the 
southern part of the Allegany mountains, contain many and large 
beds of ores, of the value of which the people are entirely ignorant. It 
is not necessary that each of these beds should be pointed out to 
them. When they have once conceived a proper idea of their im- 
portance; when they have found that these mines contain wealth, 
they will search for themselves. A scientific spirit must be infused 
into the minds of the people. ‘The Spaniards found more gold in 
South America than the Indians ever would have done: and why ? 
Because they knew the importance of this metal. But supposing the 
* Desirous to aid every effort to excite inquiry into the resources and natural 
productions and antiquities of our vast and prolific western regions, we insert this 
communication, although the writer appears not fully to appreciate what has al- 
ready been done on this subject.—Ep. 
