ESSEX COUNTY. 
243 
The rocks in this part of Moriah and Westport are often quite disturbed, where veins of 
ore do not appear. The gneiss is schistose, and has a stronger resemblance to mica slate than 
usual. It is also in many places subject to decompostion, and contains iron pyrites dissemi¬ 
nated through it. Hence the outside is often stained brown; it furnishes, very frequently, 
sulphate of copper; and often its appearance deceives the ignorant, who are led to suppose 
that it is an iron stone, or one so near an ore, that by digging deep enough, it would certainly 
be found. In other places the rock contains an abundance of quartz, particularly in the neigh¬ 
borhood of Bald mountain in Westport; and it is often the case, that near the place where this 
substance is found, lime and serpentine will also occur. Whenever these masses appear, the 
gneiss is quite as much disturbed or contracted as at any place in the vicinity of the iron 
veins, and the dip will be as often reversed, as at the locality of primary limestone southwest 
of the village in Moriah. I cannot, therefore, but regard all the phenomena of disturbance 
in these instances, whether those attending veins of ore, or those of primary limestone and 
serpentine, as belonging to and resulting from causes which are radically alike ; that they are, 
in fact, produced by masses which are projected upwards from below. The theory of Mr. 
Fox, and other electro-chemical philosophers, does not apply so well in the thick heavy veins 
of iron, as in the thinner veins of other metallic products. But this subject I have spoken of 
in another place; and while I am unable to apply the theory to the veins of iron, I do not 
doubt that electro-chemical changes take place in the midst of the ix)cky strata. 
The superficial covering of the beds in this vicinity, appears to be almost entirely of drift. 
The soil, down to the rock, is filled with round stone or boulders, some of which are quite 
large. The surface of the rocks, together with the veins where they are exposed, exhibits 
that kind of scoring which is common where drift has accumulated. The height of the veins 
above Lake Champlain is from twelve to fourteen hundred feet. The country rises, though 
not rapidly, throughout the whole distance. The transportation, therefore, of ore to the lake, 
or of manufactured articles, is not expensive, as there are but few hills to be surmounted, 
and almost the whole distance is descending to the lake. 
It will be seen from the preceding account of the ores of Moriah, (though a part are in 
Westport,) that this section of country is really rich in ores of iron; that a sufficient amount 
can be obtained to supply the most extended works ; and that most of the localities are favo¬ 
rably situated for a profitable mining. The amount of water power, however, is less than is 
desirable, being insufficient for large works. The quantity of wood in the neighborhood ap¬ 
pears also to be less considerable than might be expected in a country where no large calls for 
its use can exist, unless for manufacturing purposes. But with a suitable protection of this 
branch of industry — the manufacturing of iron, one of the most important to this country — 
I have very little doubt that the ore might be transported to points more favorable for the 
production of this staple commodity. When it is considered that all the veins lie within five 
or six miles of the lake, and that for this distance it is one inclined surface, I can hardly 
doubt but that the ore may be profitably raised and worked when necessary, and transported 
to places where wood and water power are more abundant. It is true, that this kind of com- 
