224: Notice of the Matleable Iron of Louisiana. 
is about N. latitude 32° 20’, and 20° W. longitude from 
Washington City. They must have advanced across the 
upper streams of the Trinity in their expedition. That 
part of Mr. Melish’s map was constructed almost entirely 
from my papers. When the manuscript lent me by Dr. 
Sibley,* was in my possession, I collated it as carefully as 
was In my power, with draughts of the country which I 
had previously collected, and upon my map traced as 
nearly as possible the route which the party pursued. I 
cannot, it is true, guarantee the accuracy of the delinea- 
tion; as I never was myself upon Red River above the 
limits of Louisiana; but from the pains I took to arrive at 
correct results, | think that the general representation may 
be depended upon witb much confidence.”’f 
Aided by these directions alone, a traveller might 
experience some difficulty in finding the masses now re- 
maining in that region: but it will probably never be 
difficult to obtain guides from among the Indians. A min- 
era] substance so remarkable generally engages their 
attention, and often their veneration. ‘These masses of 
iron, before they were visited by our countrymen, were 
among the Indians objects of notoriety; and it is by ne 
means probable that their notoriety has diminished since 
adventurers have manifested such earnestness to obtain 
them. 
. Some interesting remarks upon the native iron of Louisia- 
na by Col. Gibbs, are published in Brace’s Journal, p. 218, 
with a concise accouut of similar masses from other coun- 
tries. Col. Gibbs was the first to make the interesting obser- 
vation of the occurrence of crysta/s in native iron; he dis- 
covered two of an octaedral form in the iron of Louisiana. 
There can be no reasonable doubt that the huge masses of 
malleable iron from Louisiana are of meteoric origin; and 
thus their history is rendered extremely interesting. All 
who have seen them in situ agree that they appear to have 
been deposited in consequence of some extraordinary nat- 
ural occurrence, and that it is impossible they should be 
the product of art. The similar composition of the vari- 
* Glass’ MS. Journal. 
+ Mr. Darby’s letter to Prof. Silliman, dated Philadelphia, Feb. 28th 
1322. : 
