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[Assembly 
through this same hill, which is only two feet in its greatest width. By 
the side of this vein, and only 4 or 5 feet to the west, another parallel 
vein existed, which is thirteen feet wide, but remained undiscovered 
till about a year since, when it was brought to light by making a cross 
cut, a mode of opening, which ought always to be pursued ; inasmuch, 
as simply following a vein in the direction of its length, cannot lead to 
farther discoveries, as is proved by the experience of the Peru Com- 
pany in working the narrow vein, to which, allusion has already been 
made. By opening a vein in a direction perpendicular to its strike, or 
in other words, across its coiKse, there is a better opportunity to ascer- 
tain the nature of its contents, the width of the vein, and advantages are 
secured for raising ore, together with a chance of discovering additional 
veins ; the instances are very common for two or more parallel veins 
to exist in immediate proximity. It is too, the only method by which 
a lost vein can be recovered. It maybe therefore considered as an es- 
tablished rule, the importance of which is supported by experience in 
all mining countries, that veins are to be opened by cutting across them 
and not by sinking perpendicular shafts, or shafts passing in the direc- 
tion of the dip. 
The ore of the Cook vein is black, some parts of the vein is granu- 
lar or soft, as this slate is usually called by miners, other portions are 
compact or in firm masses. It is a rich vein even near the surface, 
and it improved as the excavation proceeded doAvnwards. It is not 
however so pure in the vein as to admit of smelting previous to wash- 
ing. Its gangue is quartz or flint, black mica and hornblende. Its 
supporting rock is granite. The course of the vein is north and south. 
Parallel with the thirteen foot vein which is to be considered as the 
main vein, are three others, one of six, one of three and another of two 
feet. The hill on which these veins are found is two hundred feet 
above the plain. Its location is therefore quite favorable for mining 
operations, as it will be for a long time easy to drain, and convenient 
for removing the ore. 
7. Quality of the iron. 
The iron made from this ore is of the first quality. Along with 
hardness, there is sufficient elasticity and toughness to make it valua- 
ble for spikes, horse shoes, bands and nails. The grain is fine and 
bright with a clear metallic lustre ; it hammers very smootiily, and pre- 
sents a very fine even compact surface. Jn fine it resembles very 
nearly the old Ru&sia sable, so celebrated in this country. The ore 
