Natural Resources of the Western Country. 123 
people to be acquainted with the value of a metal, or of a partic- 
ular mineral; still they must receive an impulse, before they will 
search for it. The gold mines of the south might have still lain in 
the bosom of the earth, had not the accidental discovery of gold in 
one of the states, informed the people of its existence ; and en- 
gaged their interest inits search. And by this investigation which 
is not yet completed, a formation of gold has been found, running 
nearly parallel to the Allegany mountains, and extending through 
Georgia, part of Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Virginia. The 
rich iron mines of the Cumberland mountains, were not worked, 
until the scientific investigation of one of them in Western Virginia, 
proved the profit of the reduction of these ores. Since that time, 
mines have been opened along the whole chain, extending from Vir- 
ginia through Tennessee into Alabama. ‘These mines it may be ob- 
served, afford enough iron for a large extent of country: and should 
a communication be opened between them and the sea, a much lar- 
ger quantity will be extracted for the purpose of exportation. With 
the Galena mines, we are well acquainted. ‘They have reduced 
to one fourth of its former value, a metal of universal and almost in- 
dispensable use. ‘There have been a few other mines discovered in 
the western country. I say a few; not because there are but few, 
but because, for the two reasons I have given, that the people do not 
properly estimate their worth, and that science has not yet engaged 
them in the search.* It is with a view to the removal of the last of 
these reasons, (upon which the former depends,) that I have writ- 
ten these remarks; hoping that some of your scientific readers 
would be induced by proper encouragement, to volunteer in the 
cause of natural science and improvement. 
But besides the great variety of minerals in the West, there are 
other subjects worthy of a scientific investigation. I mean, the re- 
mains of human beings, of their labor, and of animals of each of 
these there is a great abundance. 
1. The remains of human beings. ‘These are to be found, some- 
times buried, but generally in caverns. ‘They exist in the greatest 
* The following story will perhaps not be believed by some of your readers, 
although itis true. A small bed of ore was discovered a few years since in one of 
the- Western States, and a dispute immediately arose between the owner and his 
neighbors, about the kind of ore it contained. The former thought that it was ga- 
lena, and the latter, that it wasironore. And because of this uncertainty the mine 
was not worked.—The ore was perhaps a compact oxide of manganese. 
