Mineralogy and Geology of apart of Nova Scotia. 313 



of iron works. Accordingly, on the supposition that there was 

 ore enough, a site was selected for a smelting furnace at Sis- 

 saboo River on the opposite shore of St. Mary's Bay. But 

 before much was accomplished, from the unexpected decline 

 of exertions on the part of one or two individuals, the project 

 languished and was finally abandoned. We mention this as 

 being the first attempt, however premature, to introduce the 

 manufacture of iron ore into this province. 



Crossing from Sandy Cove to the Bay of Fundy, about the 

 distance of one mile, we came to an indentation called Outer 

 Sandy Cove, between which and the inner cove, is a small but 

 extremely beautiful lake of fresh water, with a sandy bottom, 

 and having a very diminutive outlet into the Bay of Fundy. 

 These two coves are nearly connected by this little lake. 

 The rocks at this cove present no remarkable peculiarities 

 of structure. The shore is composed of immense sheets of 

 greenstone of the amorphous variety, which shelve or dip 

 towards the Bay of Fundy, at an angle of 10° or 15® and 

 finally disappear beneath its waters. The most interesting 

 features of this place are the large veins of red jasper which 

 appear in parallel ridges, resembling more than any other 

 thing, the brick battlements upon the inclined roofs of 

 houses, and extending from the highest part of the shore 

 to low water mark. These ridges stand as monuments to 

 show the continual effect of a turbulent sea, which has worn 

 away the rock they traverse with comparative facility, and 

 left them entire, or slightly polished, as obstacles to its fur- 

 ther encroachments. They contain in some places, geodes 

 of quartz, amethyst, and rich specimens of agate, formed by 

 narrow threads of red jasper traversing white transparent 

 chalcedony, in a zigzag manner, and when polished, consti- 

 tute pleasing specimens. 



Following the shore of St. Mary's Bay, eastwardly as we 

 leave Sandy Cove, and examining at low water the frag- 

 ments which have been detached from the precipices above 

 and profusely scattered along their base at the water's edge 

 agates of various kinds, possessing great beauty, were found 

 in abundance. Some were of that variety called fortification 

 agate, from a resemblance to military works, on the polished 

 surface of the specimens. This variety is often found well 

 characterized on the shore ; sometimes in small nodules 

 which have been polished by attrition, and resemble the 

 Scotch pebble in every respect : at others it is found in terse 

 Vol. XIV.— No. 2. 14 * 



