Geological Relations of the East of Ireland . 213 
other mountain also, named Croghan Moira, (see PL 8. No. 7. and 
10. No. 18.), about seven miles distant from the former mountain, 
and gold was obtained there, though in very small quantity, the 
largest piece not exceeding two and a half pennyweights in weight. 
One trial was made on Ballycreen in the stream at the eastern foot 
of the mountain, and minute particles of gold were found, accom- 
panied by magnetic ironstone, magnetic iron sand, compact brown 
ironstone, cubical iron pyrites, and numerous small garnets. An- 
other trial was made on the western side of the mountain, in Bally- 
nacapogue brook, and small panicles of gold were obtained, with 
magnetic ironstone, magnetic iron sand, and fragments of tinstone 
crystals. A third trial, in Fannanerin stream, on the north-eastern 
dank of the mountain did not produce any gold. 
§ 108. It is remarkable that toward the middle of the last cen- 
tury, a brown indurated oxide of iron, which formed the upper part 
of a metalliferous bed in the higher grounds of Cronebane, was 
found to contain minutely disseminated native silver, sometimes in 
extremely slight filaments, but generally in particles quite impercep- 
tible to the eye. The silver was extracted by fusion with lead, and 
subsequent cupellation. It contained about thirty grains of gold in 
the ounce, equivalent to 6| per cent, and hence, the auriferous silver 
commonly sold for half-a-guinea an ounce. Articles made from 
both the metals so extracted are in the possession of a family in the 
county. This oxide of iron appears to have borne a close analogy 
to the pacos of Peru, and the color ados of New Spain, as described 
by M. Von Humboldt.* 
§ 109. The present Company of Cronebane commenced their 
operations in the year 1787, having purchased the mines and fee 
* See the Political Essay on New Spain. 
