ELXDLicH.] SAN JUAN MINES. 235 



into the schists, this yet appears very probable. Three hniidred feet 

 above the Pride of the West is the Equator ; 150 feet below, the Astor ; 

 both rnuning uearly parallel with the lirst. 



Besides these, there are a number of other lodes on the Cunningham 

 already claimed, but it was impossible to obtain notes on them all, inas- 

 much as the inspection of each would require nearly an entire day. 

 This latter fact is owing to the distance at which the mines are located 

 from any available camping-place, and from the fact that, besides be- 

 ii]g far apart, they are mostly- at a considerable elevation above the 

 creek. 



We have on the Cunningham a series of silver lodes, which, so far as 

 surface-indications may be relied npon, do not change the character of 

 their ore when leaving the one and entering the other geognostie forma- 

 tion. At another locality, of which mention shall presently be made, 

 veins containing gold-ores are found. Higher up the mountains veins 

 appear, carrying very small quantities of this metal, but showing spe- 

 cific silver minerals. 



In Arastra Gulch, about two and a half miles down the Animas from 

 Howardsville, at the mouth of Cunningham, gold-miniug was carried on 

 first. The gold was washed out by various methods, until the " Little 

 Giant " was discovered. This discovery led on to prospecting, and after 

 some time a large number of veins had been found and claimed. In 

 former times the settlement there was one of good promise. It decreased 

 after the abandonment of gulch-mining, but, under the influence of these 

 newly-discovered silver lodes, is again reviving. Although I spent as 

 much time as I could upon tlie decision of the question whether the 

 metamorphic rocks underlaid the trachytes containing the lodes, I 

 could find no point where a satisfactory outcrop occurred. Judging, 

 however, from the close proximity of these rocks, trom their trend toward 

 the region under consideration, and from the fact that the ore of the 

 Little Giant is associated with chlorite, being one of the lowest mines in 

 the gulch, I think it highly probable that they do extend through, and 

 that the veins probably run into them. The veins observed on the 

 higher portions of the mountains formmg the walls of the short caiion run 

 in trachyte, belonging to Xo. 4, and have as a rule a course of east 10° 

 to 50° south. A number of veins occur that vary from this, but the 

 majority preserve a parallelism among themselves. At the same time 

 they show no material deflection from the course of neighboring veins. 



THE LITTLE GIANT, 



as stated, is a gold-bearing vein, situated on the northeast side of 

 Arastra Gulch, with a course of about north 40^ west. It it well known 

 as one of the oldest mines of the region, and has yielded profits. A 

 tunnel is driven in from the southwest, striking the lode. A short 

 distance from the mouth of this tunnel crushing- works have been erected, 

 crushing the ore to a powder, and as such it is then treated by amalga- 

 mation. Central and Dexter are two gold-mines east of the Little 

 Giant. 



On the opposite side of the creek, Hazelton Mountain rises to a 

 relative elevation of 3, GOO feet, and it is upon the north and northeast 

 face of this mountain that a number of lodes are located. 



EXCELSIOR LODE. 



Upon this lode more work has been done than upon most others. A 

 shaft 30 feet in dejith was sunk, and a quantity of ore taken out, now 



