Gold. 



67 



a mountain wilderness for sixteen or seventeen miles west of this 

 spot. 



The talcose slate formation, containing the iron and gold in Som- 

 erset, extends southerly, nearly across the State of Massachusetts ; 

 passing through the towns of Rowe, Charlemont, the settlement called 

 Zoar, Florida, Savoy, Hawley, Plainfield, Cummington, Worthington, 

 Middlefield, &c. Indeed, I know of no place, where the formation 

 is so perfectly developed in its characters, as in Hawley and Plain- 

 field. There is then, surely, as much ground for presuming that 

 gold will be found in Massachusetts, as there was for predicting its 

 discovery in Vermont. If an iron mine and porous quartz, with hy- 

 drous iron, be necessary, we have these in Hawley, in the talcose 

 slate. And it ought to be recollected, that the Vermont gold was 

 found at the source of Deerfield river, and that this stream runs di- 

 rectly south into Massachusetts ; and it would be rather strange, if 

 so violent a torrent, did not carry some of the diluvium, containing 

 gold, at least as far as the limits of this state. The places where I sup- 

 pose gold might be found, in Massachusetts, is in ,the vicinity of 

 the Hawley iron mine, or the Plainfield beds of manganese, or along 

 the banks of Deerfield river, in Monroe, Florida, Zoar, and Charle- 

 mont : nor should the region around the limestome and iron ore, in 

 Bernardston, be forgotten, in an examination for this metal, although 

 the rock there is not talcose slate. Talcose slate occurs also in 

 many other places in the state ; particularly in Berkshire coun- 

 ty, on the Taconnic range of mountains, and other eminen- 

 ces ; and here also are porous quartz and hydrous iron. I have 

 found time to make only a slight examination for gold, in one or two 

 of the places above mentioned. The surest method of determining 

 the point, would be to obtain some one, who is conversant with the 

 gold regions at the South, and with the mode of washing it, to exam- 

 ine the places I have mentioned. It may indeed be doubtful, wheth- 

 er the discovery of gold would be a public benefit ; since, as your Ex- 

 cellency has well observed, it might lead to " the greedy pursuit of 

 this uncertain gain, and to the sure sacrifice of habits of industry and 

 economy, and virtuous self-denial, which the ordinary pursuits and 

 requirements of business induce. We may doubt even, whether the 

 grass-covered hills of our own New England, are not a better source 

 of wealth, and contentment, than the precious metals which the earth 

 embosoms." But, however political economy might decide these 

 questions, I suppose there are few individuals who would willingly 



