506 
GEOLOGY OF THE FIRST DISTRICT. 
or the hydrostatic blowpipe, an ounce of lead may be cupelled in a very short time, and the 
relative quantity of silver determined, if it be appreciable. 
If the ore to be examined be not an ore of lead, some of the ore is to be melted in a clean 
crucible which has never been used, and lead free of silver and gold added, and stirred and 
mixed with the fused ore. The fusion of the ore should be so perfect as to permit the lead 
to settle to the bottom of the melted ore. The lead, in consequence of its affinity for the 
precious metals, unites with them if present, and forms an alloy. The lead, cupelled as 
above, will show the silver or gold, or an alloy of them, if either or both of them were 
present. 
If the globule obtained by the cupelling operation be suspected to be an alloy of silver and 
gold, it is examined in the usual way, and the metals separated qualitatively, or quantita¬ 
tively, as circumstances may require. 
Several mines have been opened in Putnam and Westchester counties, under the expecta¬ 
tion of obtaining silver. I have examined a great number of ancient diggings in Putnam, 
Orange and Westchester counties, where it is reported or imagined that silver has been, or 
is to be found; but I have seen no indications worth pursuing, or any ore that is known with 
certainty to contain silver. These ores have not been analyzed, and it is not known that they 
even contain any silver, except from the common reports of the country that silver has been 
obtained from them. 
Almost all the diggings are in or contiguous to limestone. Many interesting mineral loca¬ 
lities have been opened, and an abundance of crystallized minerals dug out, and prepared for 
the hand of the collector of these beautiful productions of nature. 
It is, perhaps, superfluous to go into a detail of the numerous mining explorations in search 
of the precious metals in the Highlands ; suffice it to say, that superstition and the mineral 
rod have been freely employed, and credulous persons have permitted themselves to be 
imposed on, and in some instances have expended their all, in explorations which any one 
versed in minerals, and acquainted with their associations, would have known from the begin¬ 
ning were hopelessly fruitless. Common pyrites and magnetic pyrites were repeatedly 
brought to me while I was stationed at the United States Military Academy, as an instructer 
of chemistry, mineralogy and geology, as specimens of gold ore, silver ore and tin ore, by 
the mine hunters, or by those who had been imposed on. After examining mineral localities 
where lead and tin ores had been said to have been discovered, I have seen none in place, 
and have reason to believe that the specimens shown to me, did not originate where they 
were said to have been found. A piece of metallic antimony was shown to me, and was said 
to have been found in Putnam county ; but it had the peculiar foliated crystalline texture 
that is generally seen in that which has been melted, and which is different in aspect from 
the native antimony. 
While on this subject, I will notice another fact that came under my observation. Coal 
was said to have been discovered in the primitive region of Putnam county. I was shown a 
lump of beautiful Mauch-Chunk anthracite!! which had been buried by some means unknown 
