310 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



also occurs, out of which the aborigines of our country 

 shaped their axes, arrow and spear heads. 



Masses of milky and ferruginous quartz are seen scat- 

 tered over the surfece of those lands, traversed by auri- 

 ferous veins. When these masses are broken, sometimes 

 gold is found visible to the eye. There are veins that 

 contain gold, and others from v^hich no gold can be ex- 

 tracted by the ordinary means used in this country. 

 The veins of auriferous quartz follow the general direc- 

 tion of the rocks, running parallel to the Blue Ridge, and 

 Alleghany mountains; that is to say, from nearly about 

 south west to north east. These veins appear to be of 

 the nature of what the Germans call liegende stock/' 

 or, in other words, are considered to be contemporane- 

 ous with the formations in which they are found to exist, 

 being parallel with the stratification, and having no other 

 walls than those of the rock parallel, and between the 

 layers of which they have their course. The dip of 

 these veins varies with the inclination of the rocks. 



Sulphuret of iron, of lead, of copper, hydrate of per- 

 oxide of iron, specular oxide of iron, native gold, native 

 silver, &c., are the metallic substances that are found in 

 this region. Talc, asbestos, jade, turpentine, amphibole, 

 cyanite, varieties of quartz, and other mineral species 

 that are common. 



Some of the veins that traverse the country are bar- 

 ren, others contain more or less gold. This is found 

 disseminated, and is frequently so fine as not to be dis- 

 cerned by the eye. It however by no means prevents 

 the gold from being separated from the quartz by che- 

 mical means. The most economical means of arriving at 

 this end is the great desideratum. The quartz in these 

 veins has a general resemblance. It is sometimes white 

 and compact ; at other times it is found with a slight 

 tinge of blue. The sulphuret of iron appears to be very 

 abundantly diffused. This substance is, however, some- 



