a little felspar with imbedded circular concretions of quartz; and of greyish white
quartzose sandstone, with imbedded portions of the pale-red kind, both of which
probably belong to the new red sandstone formation. Fragments were also found
of dark-greenish felspathose trap, coloured by hornblende; of greenstone; of dark
flesh-red felspar in granular concretions, with imbedded patches of hornblende;
of red felspar, associated with hornblende, and passing to greenstone; and of
red felspar partly coloured with hornblende, and containing amygdaloidal portions
of prehnite; most of which belong to the trap formation, connected with
the new red sandstone. Many pretty large masses also occur of a compact
wine-yellow limestone, resembling conchoidal hornstone, having a flat con-
choidal fracture, and alternating with thin layers of flint inclining to flinty slate.
This limestone is precisely similar to some of the more compact varieties of the
limestone near Cumberland-House, although in the latter situation we never
observed it associated with flinty slate.
The Copper Mountains consist principally of trap rocks, which seem to be
imposed upon the new red sandstone or the flcetz limestone which covers it. A
short way below the influx of the Mouse, the Copper-Mine River washes the
base of some bluish-grey claystone cliffs, having a somewhat slaty structure,
dipping to the north at an angle of 20°.
The Copper Mountains appear to form a range running S.E. and N.W. The
great mass of rock iri the mountains seems to consist of felspar in various conditions
; sometimes in the form of felspar rock or claystone, sometimes coloured by
hornblende, and approaching to greenstone, but most generally in the form of
dark reddish-brown amygdaloid. The amygdaloidal masses,-contained in the
amygdaloid, are either entirely pistacite, or pistacite enclosing calc-spar. Scales
of native copper are very generally disseminated through this rock, through a species
of trap tuff which nearly resembled it, and also through a reddish sandstone
on which it appears to rest. When the felspar assumed the appearance of a slaty
clay-stone, which it did towards the base of the mountains on the banks of the
river, we observed no copper in it. The rough and in general rounded and
more elevated parts of the mountain, are composed of the amygdaloid; but
between the eminences there occur many narrow and deep valleys, which are
bounded by perpendicular mural precipices of greenstone. It is in these valleys,
amongst the loose soil, that the Indians search for copper. Amongst the
specimens we picked up in these valleys, were plates of native copper,
masses of pistacite containing native copper; of trap rock with associated native
copper, green malachite, copper glance or variegated copper ore and iron-
shot copper green; and of greenish-grey prehnite in trap, (thé trap is felspar,'
deeply coloured with hornblende,) with disseminated native copper: the copper,
in some specimens, was crystallized in rhomboidal dodecahedrons. We
also found some large' tabular fragments, evidently portions of a vein consisting
of prehnite, associated with calcareous spar, and native copper. The
Indians dig wherever they observe the prehnite lying on the soil, experience
having taught them that the largest pieces bf copper are found associated with
it. We did not observe the vein in its original repository, nor does it appear
that-tile Indians have found it, but judging from the specimens just mentioned,
it most probably traverses felspathose trap. We also picked up some fragments
of a greenish-grey coloured rock, apparently sandstone, with disseminated
variegated copper ore and copper glance; likewise rhomboidal fragments
of white calcareous spar, and some rock crystals. The Indians report
that they have found copper in every part of this range, which they have examined
for thirty or forty miles to the N.W., and that the Esquimaux come hither
to search for that metal. We afterwards found some ice chisels in possession
of the latter people twelve or fourteen inches long, and half an inch in diameter,
formed of pure copper.
To the northward of the Copper Mountains, at the distance of ten miles, in
a direct line, a similar range of trap hills occurs, having, however, less altitude.
The intermediate country is uneven, but not hilly, and consists of a deep sandy
soil, which, when cut through by the rivulets, discloses extensive beds of light-
brownish red sandstone, which appears to belong to the new red sandstone formation.
The same rock having a thin slaty structure, and dipping to the northward,
forms perpendicular walls to the river, whose .bed lies a hundred and
fifty feet below the level of the plain. The eminences in the plain are well
clothed with grass, and free from the large loose stones so common on the
Barren Grounds, but the ridges of trap are nearly destitute of vegetation.
Beyond the last-mentioned trap range, which is about twenty miles from
the sea, the country becomes still more level, the same kind of sandstone
continuing as a subsoil. The plains nourish only a coarse short grass, and
the trees which had latterly dwindled to small clumps, growing only on low
points on the edge of the river under shelter of the high bank, entirely disap