THE COMSTOCK LODE. 65 



chamber they trend north 28° east, or parallel to the south Gold Hill trend. 

 From this point they stretch northward into the Consolidated ground, converg- 

 ing from a wide separation in the Savage, the general axis of the lode making 

 a course of north 20° west. In the Virginia division, instead of the simple 

 arrangement already noticed in that of Gold Hill, there are introduced two 

 new features. First, the wide divergence of the walls, forming an elhptical 

 chamber, whose longer axis is 3,000 feet by a short axis of 800 feet. Secondly, 

 instead of one eastern fissure, marking the position of the ore-channel, is 

 a series of four and sometimes five concentric east fissures, which separate the 

 region of the ore-channel into numerous communicating veins. The west or 

 contact fissure, continuing downward at a regular and uniform angle, is in 

 depth joined by the fissures of the ore-channel from its two extremes, nearly 

 to the middle of the chamber. At the farthest eastern amplitude these 

 fissures, instead of shutting down into contact with the west-wall syenite, as 

 they have done in the north and south portions of the opening, break off" more 

 and more to the eastward, curving gradually into approximate parallelism with 

 the west wall. Additional fissures constantly make their appearance in the 

 middle deepest point occupied by the Hale and Norcross mine, the ore and 

 quartz retaining their normal relation to the east fissures. There is little 

 doubt that the South Savage and Hale and Norcross mines are working down 

 into a deep chimney or vent, through which have ascended the vein-materials 

 and their metallic contents. They have passed what may be called the bottom 

 of the gash, and were fortunate to find themselves located on the plane of the 

 true deep-seated fissure. Where a series of vertical gashes penetrates 

 through the overlying material to an inclined fissure, it would be strange 

 if there were not several vents connecting with the deep-seated crevice. 

 There are not wanting strong indications that the Hale and Norcross is now 

 developing one of these chimneys, and the prospects of continued ore-product 

 are quite flattering. 



North of the elliptical chamber the conditions are for the third time 

 novel. The west inclined fissure maintains its course, with a gently undulat- 

 ing surface, as far north as explorations have been pushed. The east ore- 

 channel curves again to the east, embracing two more chambers of far less 

 9 



