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which weeds and bushr> had grown. My tare was, however, 

 rtad from the danger, but OB beholding it, I was made sensible 

 that the laatt donation fan I proper balance would have pitched 

 me into it. It was forty feet deep. The dinger I had just 

 eecaped fell to the lot of Mr. B*'a , '°- > wno i probablyi deceived 

 by the growth of buahea, tell m. Whether killed or not, it was 

 impossible to tell, and we were obliged U) leave the poor animal 

 under a promise of Mr. \ ., that he would cause a windlass to be 

 removed to the pit, to ascertain his fete. 



At eleven o'clock, we reached Mineral Point, the seat of justice 

 of Iowa county. I delivered an introductory letter to Mr. Ansley, 

 who had made a discovery of copper ore in the vicinity, and 

 through his politeness, visited the locality. The discovery was 

 made in sinking pits in search of lead ore. Small pieces of green 

 carbonate of copper were found on striking the rock, which is ap- 

 parently silico-calcareous, and of a very friable structure. From 

 one of the excavations, detached masses of the saphoret, blue 

 and green mingled, were raised. These masses are enveloped with 

 ochery clay. 



In riding out on horseback to see this locality, I passed over 

 the ridge of land which first received the appellation of M .Mineral 

 Point." No di:;" observed in process, but tiie h^aps of 



red marly clay, the vigorous growth of shrubbery around them, 

 and the D umber of open or paitially filled pits, remain to 

 attest the labour which was formerly devoted in the search for 

 lead. And this search is said to have been amply rewarded. 

 The track of discovery is conspicuously marked by these excava- 

 tions, which often extend, in a direct line, on the cardinal points, 

 as far as the eye can reach. Everywhere the marly clay forma- 

 tion appears to have been relied on for the ore, and much of it 

 certainly appears to be in situ in it. It hears no traces of attri- 

 tion ; and its occurrence in regular leads, lorbids the supposition 

 of its being an oceanic arrangement of mineral detritus. At Van- 

 mater's, the metalliferous clay marl is overlaid by a grayish sedi- 

 mentary limestone. Differeal ia tbe gaologioa) situation of what 

 is denominated gravel ore, of which I noticed piles, on the route 

 from flrafiat'a This hears evidefM marks of attrition, and appears 

 to have been uniformly taken from diluvial earth. 



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