136 Mineralogy and Geology of apart of Nova Scotia, 



we shall not here repeat the notice of" them, as it is our object 

 to describe only those which are peculiar to the place, or 

 which possess singular beauty, or present remarkable phe- 

 nomena. 



Grey oxide of manganese is said to have been found here, 

 and it is mentioned in Cleaveland's Mineralogy, p. 673, on 

 the authority of Mr. Thayer. We were however unable to 

 discover this substance, or any thing indicative of its pres- 

 ence. — Possibly, the occurrence of magnetic iron ore on 

 this cape, may have occasioned an error in quoting it as a 

 locality for manganese, as the inhabitants have mistaken 

 this substance for manganese, or as they call it " Magnus^'''' 

 and formerly sent it, as that article, to the U. States for sale. 



Leaving Cape D'Or, we pass Spencer's Island, which is 

 situated about a mile from this cape. It is composed of 

 columnar trap, and adds much to the' picturesque scenery of 

 this region, although it presents no objects of natural history 

 worthy of a description. The altitude of this island consider- 

 ably exceeds the diameter of its base, and standing alone, 

 like a tower in the midst of the waters, it breaks in a degree, 

 the violence of the surge, which rolls into the Basin of Mines 

 from the Bay of Fundy. 



Proceeding along the coast towards the east, up the basin 

 we pass the more tame scenery of the sandstone and shale 

 districts to be described hereafter, and do not observe any 

 greenstone trap, until we arrive at Cape Sharp, which is fif- 

 teen miles from Cape D'Or. The promontory of this cape is 

 composed of the amorphous trap which scarcely exhibits 

 any traces of columnar arrangement. The trap forms a 

 precipice or " bluff" which exhibits a remarkable contrast to 

 the low sandstone hills with which it is connected ; and stand- 

 ing between them and the sea, serves to protect them from 

 its ravages. (See Plate I.) 



This cape will not furnish the collector with any mineral 

 specimens of interest; but as this was the first place where 

 the junction of the sandstone, shale and trap were observed, 

 it deserves honorable mention on account of its geological 

 interest. The sandstone and shale, which will be particu- 

 larly described hereafter, are seen at this place to dip be- 

 neath the trap, at an angle of twenty or thirty degrees, and 

 in their passage, are observed to become sinjiularly altered in 

 appearance. The strata of these substances, before regu- 

 lar and distinctly parallel, are found altogether broken up 



