114 HONEYMAN ON THE LONDONDERRY IRON MINES. 



beds at the point of section have not degenerated in thickness 

 or quality, they may be regarded as only an interruption. 



Another level is being formed some feet under the other, and 

 at right angles to the strike of the strata. This is expected to 

 reveal the existence, or non-existence of the hematite beds, and 

 it is reasonably expected that if they shall be recovered, they 

 will be found in regular position, and more advantageously 

 situated for mining purposes. It was supposed that the hematite 

 was an altered ankerite, and that it would only be found in the 

 top of the vein. Whatever may have been the original charac- 

 ter of the ore when deposited, it is certain that the hematite 

 extends to a depth of at least one hundred feet, and that its 

 character in the level is precisely the same as it is in the excava- 

 tions near the surface. I found cavities with butryoidal crystal- 

 izations of hematite in the roof of the level, as well as in the 

 excavations above. The hematite of these beds is chiefly 

 amorphous and friable, with numerous masses porous and com- 

 pact, and mamillary butryoidal, and stalactitic crystalizations 

 of striking variety of form. 



Often the ore has an unmistakeable cokelike aspect, being 

 specular and intermixed with slate, reminding me of the coke 

 made from the fine coal, with intermixed slate, at the Acadia 

 coal mines. This, and numerous other appearances in the ore, 

 can only be satisfactorily accounted for by the supposition of 

 metamorphism, by igneous agency. If, again, we are to sup- 

 pose that the hematite is metamorphosed ankerite, the rarity of 

 the occurrence of this mineral in the excavations at Martin 

 brook; shew that the metamorphism has been comjjlete. I 

 shall now direct attention to the geological relations of these 

 hematite beds. 



The section represents the several geological formations 

 existing in the Cobequid mountains, and also to the south of 

 these, from the centre of the Cobequid mountains, to the Cobe- 

 quid bay. In ascending order, the formations are silurian, 

 devonian, carboniferous, and triassic. These are severally 

 included in the ten miles represented in the section. The line 

 of section is along a portion of the new Amherst road, the 

 Great village river, and the shore from Great Village to 



