with any other matters. It sometimes forms continued veins in the quartz, although it is often interrupted by it; but it immediately appears again, generally at the distance of a few inches, and thus the whole vein of quartz appears more or less spotted and clouded with the lead ore.

The lead was said, by the miners, to increase in quantity as they descended. Indeed, there appears to be enough of the ore to afford large quantities of the lead; it is, however, situated in so hard a rock, that considerable expense must necessarily be incurred in procuring it; and much more in bulk of the rock than of the ore, is separated in the blasting. Were the vein situated in Derbyshire, and were the gangue calcareous, as in the mines at Castleton, there can be no doubt that the enterprise would be vigorously pursued; and, in a country like this, there can be no question of the propriety of prosecuting the undertaking, till at least the average return can be ascertained, by smelting the ore, and bringing it to market. The great extent and width of the vein, seem to indicate an extensive deposit of lead; and although this, like every other mining operation, is necessarily involved in a degree of uncertainty, it is clearly worth a few thousand dollars to ascertain a question so interesting to this country, and which, should the ore prove abundant, and be procured without too much expense, may prove lucrative to the adventurers.

THE MINE.

The shaft was opened before the American war, and, after being neglected for forty years, was again opened in the month of October, 1809. It is now sunk about 60 feet; the whole breadth of the vein, at this place, has been excavated, and they have proceeded horizontally, perhaps, 25 or 30 feet. A pair of buckets, each of the capacity of 40 gallons, are constantly traversing the shaft to raise the water and the ore; the water runs down the walls of the

vein in abundance; and it is therefore necessary to keep the buckets incessantly in operation. The quantity of water will doubtless be diminished in the summer; and in any event the steam engine would afford effectual relief: but the vein is so situated that the water may be drained off from the present depth, and probably from situations considerably lower, by forming a level or gallery to meet the present shaft, at right angles, in the earth. If the level were carried from the southeast, at right angles to the course of the vein, it is probable that the water might be drained off by a gallery of fifty rods in length; but, as the excavation would, in that case, traverse rocks where no ore could reasonably be looked for, a considerable expense would be incurred without any immediate remuneration. Therefore, as the country descends in the course of the vein, and, at the distance of one third or one half a mile, a small river runs along in a low bed, and as there can be no doubt that the vein of lead ore passes under the river, since it is found on both sides, it would, for these reasons, be best to discover the vein at the river, or in some of the contiguous low grounds, and then to follow it up to the present shaft.

The vein may be certainly discovered by cross-cutting the country, and, when found, it would probably more than pay for digging the level, since the level would be carried along in the vein itself. It would be as well to obtain the ore there, as in any other place; the water would be running down constantly towards the river, and would not accumulate; and when the level is carried through to the present shaft, it may be carried still farther up the hill, if the vein in that quarter should prove inviting, of which there are strong indications.* The lead appears on the

*Note.-While I was at the mine, they opened the vein at a fituation farther up the hill; the appearances were then promifing, and I am lately informed, that the mining operations are now carried on principally there, and with good success. Several interesting minerals, never before observed in this

face of the ground, or is discovered by merely removing the soil or breaking off fragments of the rock. This may be still farther said in favour of carrying a level from the river, or low grounds near it, that it would not be necessary to dig down from the surface of the ground, but merely to excavate a passage, which would be a kind of subterranean road, and the walls and the roof being of rock, would need no artificial support. This is, indeed, a great advantage in the working of this mine, and forms a compensation for the hardness of the rock, which is not to be disregarded.

Besides the galena, there are found in this mine copper pyrites, dendritic delineations of manganese, and blende: neither of these ores appears to be abundant; the blende is but little valued as an ore of zinc; it is very difficult to obtain metallic zinc from it; and in England it is often (under the name of Black Jack) thrown away as worthless, or used to mend the roads. It is sometimes converted into white vitriol, or sulphat of zinc ; but the quantity of this substance which is used is small, compared with what might be produced from blende, were it extensively manufactured into white vitriol. I have not heard that Calamine has been found in this mine.

The copper ore which is found here, is the same that is wrought in Cornwall, and the neighbouring country of Wales. The lead from this vein is sometimes beautiful

country, are faid to have been found at the new opening, within a short time; but, as I have never seen any of the fpecimens, I forbear to mention them, leaving it to those who have had better opportunities of ascertaining the truth. I cannot, however, omit to remark, that, a few days ago, fome specimens were fent to me from this mine, containing fluat of lime; they were firft pointed out, as fuch, by Dr. Bruce, who has recently visited the fpot. In my fpecimens the prevailing colour is green, but there are spots of purple and blue; the structure is lamellar, the green pieces are translucent, and a few cubical crystals occur, chiefly imbedded in fulphat of barytes.

This vein, and the country around it, are becoming more and more important to science. There will probably be no great hazard in afferting, that this vein is the most interesting one that has ever been opened in this country,

* In the new mine, the copper ore is found in confiderable quantities; a fmall vein of it has been discovered

ly crystallized in cubes. I have specimens from this mine, in which the crystals, of lead alone, with equally beautiful ones of blende, are deposited upon those of quartz, and in cavities lined with fine quartz crystals; the aggregate forms superb pieces for a cabinet.

ACCIDENTAL ADVANTAGES.

This mine is situated in a country where wood is abundant and cheap, and where, therefore, the smelting can be performed with comparatively little expense, since a wood fire is considered as very well adapted to this operation; for, as it is performed in a reverberatory furnace, the copious flame of wood is particularly advantageous. There is also the advantage of a good stream of water, within half a mile. This stream is sufficiently powerful to work the stamping machines, and carry bellows by water, should any be needed; it may also serve a useful purpose in dressing the ore, and helping to free it from its strong matrix.

May 16, 1810.

P. S. Since this account was written, I have subjected the lead ore of the mine described above, to a chemical examination, of which I will mention merely the results. By processes conducted in such a manner as to resemble, as nearly as possible, the operations in the large way, the ore affords from 50 to 60 per cent. of good soft lead; specimens, perfectly freed from all foreign matters, will yield more; but it is better to take an average rather below than above the truth. I obtained a silver globule in every instance, in eleven different operations, by cupellation, but the proportion of silver is too small to admit of profitable extraction; it is only 12 oz. to the ton.

XIII. The Physical Geography of the first range of Mountains extending across New-Jersey, from the Hudson to the Delaware; with some experiments on the Chalybeate Spring at Schooley's mountain. By the Honourable SAMUEL L. MITCHILL, M. D. M. c. &c.

THERE

HERE had been so much conversation about Schooley's mountain, that, in the beginning of July, 1810, I executed the desire I had long entertained, of visiting it.

It

Schooley's mountain is part of the granitical chain which extends in a north-easterly and south-westerly direction, across the state of New-Jersey. It may be traced from the Highlands of New-York. Towards the Hudson, its ridges divide the plains of Rockland county from those of Orange, being denominated the Haverstraw, Warwick, Skunemunk, and Stirling mountains, and being distinguished locally by several other names. Beyond the Hudson, in Westchester and Duchess counties, it is called the Fishkill and Peekskill mountain, Joe's Hills, Anthony's Nose, Sugar-Loaf, Breakneck-hill, and several other names. treads away first to the east and north-east, and then to the north by Quaker-hill, separating the waters which fall into Long-Island Sound. Towards the Delaware, it separates the upper waters of the Raritan from those of the Musconetcunck, and passes from Sussex through Morris and Hunterdon counties, is called, somewhat to the southward of Philipsburgh, the Musconetcunck mountain. The more noted portion of its middle region is termed Schuyl's Hills, or Schooley's Mountain. The latter name is the most prevalent, and is derived from a family which was formerly a considerable proprietor of the soil thereabout. The former appellation is probably a mere abbreviation or corruption of it.

This ridge discharges the water from its north-west side,