No. 275. J 
cimens of the borings from Judge Alleu, the inspector of the salines^ 
and also the following account of the continuation of the boring. On 
the 13th Nov. the Judge writes, " We have drilled 435 feet. Tem- 
perature now 55° 5 (water) very little brackish." 
" At about 260 feet from the surface we struck a red rock much of 
the colour and hardness of red chalk, and it has continued the sarae un- 
til now." 
" At 88 to 98 feet below the surface the red shale had a singular ap- 
pearance. A German who called there, and professed to be a mineralo- 
gist, told the workmen it contained mercury." 
" At about 150 feet from the surface there is some substance which 
produces a curious effect on the drill poles. When first drawn up they 
look as though dipped in butter-milk; when exposed to the air they be- 
come encrusted with a red scale. About 60 feet of the rods are en- 
crusted in this way." 
The 28th December the Judge again writes: " We are now 531 feet, 
with little variation since I wrote you; in short, since about 270 feet the 
sarae red rock continues, with the exception now and then of a foot or 
two of green shale." 
The specimens received from Judge Allen, arranged in the order of 
their distance from the surface, are as follows: 
G, from 88 to 98 feet. This is in colour a brown fawn, particles al- 
most impalpable to the touch. It is not likely to contain mercury, 
for there is no ore of that metal which resembles it, and mercury 
is found in a less ancient position, being of the age of the coal 
formation. 
A, about 100 feet from the surface; 7 feet thick, of a blue ash colour, 
and slightly effervesces with an acid. 
K, from 129 to 278 feet; three varieties, all slightly effervesce, one 
earthy and of a gray pearl; another in fragments of a similar co- 
lour, but in layers; the third kind in fragments; but with a reddish 
colour. 
D, 290 feet; layer 3 feet thick, in fragments of blue or green shale, 
compact and hard. 
E, 297 feet; 30 feet thick> hard dark brown red shale, with some grains 
of quartz sand. 
