60 
GEOLOGY—GOLD OF PORT ORFORD. 
They abound in lignite and fossil wood, and are doubtless of the same age. They are also, 
probably, continuous with the sandstones of Goose bay, which contain the beds of lignite now 
worked as coal. 
The geology of the vicinity of Port Orford is interesting, from the fact that gold is obtained 
there by washing the beach sand. The source from which it is derived is not very apparent, 
but it has, probably, come from the decomposition of the auriferous slates which compose a 
portion of the mountains lying back from the coast, and extending from the Coquille river 
southwesterly to Mount Shasta and the head of the Sacramento valley, forming a wide and 
irregular belt, in which are many rich placers ; those in the vicinity of Yreka yielding a large 
amount of gold. The gold obtained at Port Orford is mingled with a heavy black sand, from 
which it is separated with considerable difficulty. It is also associated with platinum, iridium, 
and osmium, which, for the same reason, serve to impair its value. 
