1 32 Mineralogy and Geology of a part of Nova Scotia. 



Art. XIV. — A Description of the Mineralogy and Geology 

 of a part of Nova Scotia; by Charles T. Jackson and 

 Francis Alger. 



(Continued from Vol. XIV, p. 330.) 



Before describing the capes and islands of trap rocks 

 which project into the Basin of Mines, or are scattered 

 along its northern coast, forming the outskirts of the North 

 Mountain range, and the limits of this interesting formation, 

 it will be necessary to give a brief account of the situation 

 and extent of this sheet of water. The Basin of Mines is 

 a scalene triangular shape, and its longest side being farmed 

 by the township of Parsborough and the district of Colches- 

 ter on the north is sixty miles in length. The next side, which 

 is forty five miles long, is formed by the county of Hants ; and 

 its shortest by the county of Kings, for the distance of twenty 

 five miles. The greatest breadth of this basin is from Wind- 

 sor to Parsborough thirty miles. It communicates with the 

 Bay of Fundy by a narrow, but deep strait called the " Gut," 

 which passes between the majestic walls of Cape Split and 

 Cape D'Or. 



This basin will prove interesting to the traveller, not only 

 on account of the delightful villages seated on the banks of 

 some of the many rivers which empty their waters into it, the 

 picturesque and imposing scenery on its borders, and the enor- 

 mous tides which here rise to the height of sixty feet with 

 fearful rapidity, but also for the remarkably fine illustrations 

 of the geology of the country and the interesting relations of 

 the different formations, which are here presented in an un- 

 usually distinct manner. The geologist will delight to cir- 

 cumnavigate the whole extent of its coast and explore the 

 connexions of the different series of rock formations, the 

 highly curious and important junctions of the trap with the 

 sand stone, shale, &c. The collector of specimens in natu- 

 ral history will also be richly rewarded for the perils to which 

 he may be exposed, by the acquisition of many of the rare 

 and beautiful productions of the mineral kingdom. 



The most eligible, and only efficient mode of exploring 

 this coast, although not free from danger, is by means of a 

 boat, not so large as to be incapable of being rowed in case 

 of failure of wind ; for, besides the difliculty of transporting 

 specimens, the traveller is constantly in danger of being 



