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Gentlemen, In accordance with the promise made to you last winter, I proceeded to your Seigniory of Rigaud- Vaudreuil, parish of St. Fran9ois Beauce, on the opening of the past season, for the purpose of making a more complete exploration therein, to determine as far as it was practicable the extent of the Deposit of Gold, already alluded to in my rejiort to you, dated 22nd March last. The following observations on my late explo- mtion, I beg leave respectfully to hand you for your information, by which you will perceive, that the surmizes heretofore hazarded by me, as to its probable value, have been fully confirmed, and will I trust prove satisfactory. The objects of the exploration were, to establish the limits and consequences of a certain locality. These desiderata may now be considered as ob- tained, and would be enhanced materially, if the laws of Geology, particularly those which have an immediate bearing upon auriferous formations, had established the Roclcs of the section, as Gold bear- ing rocks ; creating a system, and proving, that the present Dei)0sit is not local or accidental, but immediately connected with formations, which are extensive, and which give a chamcter to the Coun- try. The details of a geological exploration of a coun- try, relate not only to the earth or rocks iii which the metalliferous beds exist, but to certain parts or por- tions of the same, which indicate by invariable signs, greater chances of the metals being found abun- dantly. For instance^It has been established, that A 2 4 the zones of contact of mctamornhic with igneous rocks, Gneiss and argillaceous schist, with the por- phyries, and certain argillaceous or calcareous rocks, in contact with serpentine, form with few excep- tions, the true planes of concentration of metallic substances. In examining- the hod of a stream, you frequently find proofs of the existence of minerals in situ, in the adjacent rocks, and the fragments and bouldei-s, which arc found of various sizes in the hod of the stream, present in efiect, the r6sum6 of the metalli- ferous character of the rocks, from which they have been broken oil", by the action of water or other causes ; by washing the sand, particles of metal from their greater specific gravity are easily seixi- rated, and frequently pieces of the original vein stone, are found disseminated with the metal. An exact knowledge of the mineralogical character of gangues is also of the greatest utility, where the geological constituents of a country are well defined, Spathic Iron, Iron pyrites, Magnetic Oxyde of Iron, Chromate of Iron and Oxyde of Titanium, are pre- cursors of Gold, and these characteristic minemls, associated with the Gold, have been found under a systematic arrangement, throughout the extent of my explomtioiis on the Seigniory. A very extensive bed or dyke of serpentine forms one of the most interesting features of the Country, und its longitudinal direction has been traced, for nearly forty miles ; in a North Easterly direction, it is cut through in many places, by the t>treams in which tlie auriferous deposits arc found, and the rock of ttie Country being a mctamorphic rock, iwssibly an altered, s.uulstone, containing large crystals of Feldspar, resembling granite in structure — although stratified und iilternuting, with argillaceous schists, is in immediate contact with the serpentine, the planes of which are represented by veins of quartz — very ferruginous — with seams of Tremolite, Actino- lite, and sometimes, Rutile or Oxyde of Titanium. Some of the ])eculiarities of this Country, bear a striking analogy to the aiirilerous formations of Rus- sia, and the Southern States, which required only an investigation in the former, to open one of the most valuable mining regions in the world. I can safely assert, that the Doiwsit on your Seig- niory will boar comparison with many of the richest Deposits of the South. I have examined many of them, and ascertained carefully the results of the washings, and although our operations were con- ducted upon a very limited scale, being as it were simply an assay, I have no doubt when tlio mine is regularly opened and a system adopted, that the average proceeds of a year's labour, will fully equal those of the Carolinas or Virginia. The Gold found is remarkably large and easily col- lected, and there will consetpiently be no loss, by the process of washing. The extent of the Deposit is the next important consideration, the limits of which are not yet de- termined : if the Gold exists in the Gravel of the Country, it will be found wherever the characteristic formations extend, but if it has originated from some local enuse, having an immediate bearing upon the rocks in the vicinity of the stream, the Deposit will probably be conlincd to the Country, embraced with- in the drainage of its tributnrics. I have found it in variable ({uantities in the valley of the stream commencing at its outlet and ascending two miles ; and although our principal operations were confuicd to a very smnll section, I feel confi- dent the same successful n^sults will ol'tain wherever the Deposit is tried in that distance. Having thus given a general idea ' (' the regiim, I shall now enter more minutely, into the detail of the exploration. On the first day of June last, the waters having subsided sufTiciently, to allow of the exploration of the bed of the creek, on which my former investiga- tions were conducted, I proceeded to define as far as possible, the extent of the Deposit, and found that for a distance of two miles, beginning from the lliver Chaudicrc, and ascending the creek, Gold existed in the bed ol" the stream, and that within the iirst mile of that distance — nearest the river mentioned — a ricli aurilerous Deposit became manifest. My explorations were olso directed to the branch of Dm stream flowing from the South, to the upper puts of the main branch, the other streams falnng into the River Chaiidiere, and in fact to the entire North ICastcrn jwrtion of your Seigniory including the steatite beds. During my examination of the adjacent hills, on the Southern side of the Creek, T discovered in- dications of Gold, nearly one hundred yards from the water, and at an elevation of sixty or seventy feet above the level oi' the stream ; this would go far to prove that this Deposit is not confined to the creek ; but Avithout a finlher and more minute exploration, its extent or value cannot be estimated, on account of the quantity of drill, which covers the entire face of this portion of the Country. It will be necessary, in order that you may fully understand what I wish to convey, that I should describe in detail, that part of the stream, and the valley and hills, which confine it, in which the greatest auriferous indications were observed ; this comprises an extent of about two miles, boun- ded on each side by hills, of comparatively similar elevation, enclosing a valley, varying from Fifty to Three hundred yards in width, its general direction is from East to "West, and the stream itself falls from sixty to seventy feet per mile, consequently there is little sinuosity in its course. The lower section of the valley, about half a mile in extent, consists of flats, and varies from one hundred to three hundred yards in breadth, those flats are com- posed of gravel, and the debris of the surrounding rocks, covered Avith two or three feet of sand or clay, and may bo from six to twelve feet in depth, resting on the rock in place : from this to the Falls of the Creek, a distance of half a mile, the stream has cut a channel through the shales and sandstones, which are everywhere ex[)osed, and the remainder of the distance for a mile or more, con- sists of beds of gravel, where the rocks are seldom seen " in situ. " The first portion described, consisting of that part nearest the River Chaudiere, was that to which my attention wns most partienlarly tlircntod, wlirro I had sunk a number of pits, luul Ironi wliicli 1 obtained such salisfnotory results. I nm however much gratified in hcinf; ablo to state, that even above this section, very favourablo indications were developed in the bed of the stream, and I entertain no doubt, that a further exploration will bear mc out, when I say, that it also is rich in auriferous materials. This assertion is made, from facts elicited from actual observation, for wherever I searched in the exposed portions of the valley of the stream, I found not only indications, but (rold of Inrijo size, and in considerable quantities, far exceeding any similar experiment, which I hnd seen tried in many of the richest mines of the Southern States. Having had a machine constructed, which is used in all the Gold mines of the South, called a " Burke rocker, " which is a very simple and cheap contri- vance, and used with great success in washing for Gold, by amalgamation with quick-silver, in order that I might prove the value of the Deposit, by a simple calculation, I found the following to result from the gravel and slates washed. I would however in the lirst place state, that with ten men the amount of gravel washed by such a machine, averages from three to three hundred and fifty bushels per day. The first gravel tried, was from the surface, and about fifteen feet above the level of the waters, it yielded twenty pennyweights of Gold to three hun- dred bushels of gravel, the last trial was made from the gravel above the slates, with the debris of the slates themselves, this yielded, eighteen penny- weights, eighteen grains of Gold, from sixty bushels. In the Deposit mines of the Southern States, one Sennyweight of Gold to each hand employed per ay, is considered good work, and the mine yielding such results a rich one. Their calculation is, if one hundred men are employed, they will have five of those machines in operation, these at an average of three hundred bushels per day, will give 8 a rolum ol' 1 .1-5 grains pov bushel or ono jvimy- \\°('i(f1it to iIk' linml. The avorii^io ol' tho wasliings from our experi- ments, us given, amounts to 2 7-1*2 grains |H'r bushel luMug very nearly ono hundred per cent, more than the mines I have instanced above. When you take into consideration the very unfavou- mble circumstances under which I ojierated without one cxp(r 50 feet stpiare, the (iold found amounted to 300 penny- weights, the principal j>art of which was found in the open crevices of the slates. — This yield is unpre- cedented. It has been observed in the opening of the South- ren mines, that where pieces of 30, 40 or 50 penny- weights have been found, that invariably pieces of much larger weight have followed, you succeeded in finding pieces of the above weights, and there is every reason to suppose the same rule will held good here as well as elsewhere. The largest pieces of Gold Ibund by me, were em- bedded in the crevices of the slates, and very possi- bly will be so discovered to as great a depth as those crevices extend, the breaking up of those slates, will therefore be necessary, and to do so, the bed of the creek and the entire valley must be completely freed from water. When the Gold is found in the undisturbed allu- vium, it is associated with a decomposed magnesian mineral, apparently serpentine, and present dentritic and arborescent forms, an evidence that this substance was its original matrix, and from its appearance would go far to prove that it had not been much subjected to the action of water. If this detritus originated from the serpentine in the vicinity, a careful examination along the flanks to .• \t thereof, muy lead to lhi« ilisicovcry ut' a bod m vciii, wliicli I do not tliiiik iinprolnililc. Having thus di'scrilted llu- rt'sults of the rx|)lora- tion, [ bog leave lo oiler u low suggestions relative to future tiporalioi'.s. I would reeoiuniend them to ho cominoucod, as soou ns tile season will permit, on that seetion of the diseovory eoinjtriscd within the limits marked by dotted lilies, in tlio aeconipanyhig ])lan, tins includes that jxn'tion oi' the valley eoiisisting of iIuj i'latscom- lX)sed of (Jruvel, linuul to be very auriferous, and within which the experiments detailed herein have been made. To do this with etfect, the creek must be turned from its bed, through a race along the base of the liill, on the southern siile of the valley, as llir down, as where the wurLs would bo commenced, and also a drain shoukl be cut through the slates, the entire length of the section, in the center of the bed of the creek, at hast ibur loot by three, to more comple- tely dmin olf the water, and allow the slates to be broken up and washed with the gravtd. The creek being subject to summer floods, the dam should be of such a height, as to permit the water during freshets to How over it, into the drain cut in the bcil of the creek, otherwise the race would be injured or destroyed by t'le excess of water at certain times. The draiu [iroposeil in the bed of the creek, for the purpose of drawing olf the surface water, percolating through the slates, would also be suiiicicnt for conveying the surplus flow ing over the tlam, and thus the work would not be retarded, except at periods of extreme floods. The working S(;ason being very short, no time should be lost in collecting the materials for building the dam, and the necessary houses for the men, and ollices, j)rovisions also and tools etc., ought to be ]irovided, and on the si)ot, before the opening of the navigation, Ibr at least two months use, in order that a day may not be lost, when the time for wor- king arrives. The amount ol' these preparations, must ol" course depend ujion the nujnber of hands employed. B 10 The foregoing would be the principal outlay for workin g this portion of the Deposit, and as near as I can estimate it, including machinery, labour, tools, etc., would amount to about two thousand pounds currency. It is generally the conceived opinion, that Gold mines are ruinous to tbo proprietors, and detrimental to all other industrial pursuits, which might be ne- cessary for the furtherance of the prospects of the country within which they are situated. This I think experience has proved to be lallacious, much depends upon the method of working the mines, and the ncce^^sary prudence in regulating the monetary department, of the business, less capitfd being re- quired in opening them, and the metallurgic process is more simple than that required in the separation or reduction of any other metal. A few years ago the Country within which the Russian mines are situated, was a barren waste, now there are cities and villages, and a large population, all resulting from the astonishing developments, which have arisen there. The same might be said of the Southern States, a great portion of the mining region there, was unfitted for any agricultural pur- pose, but the mines have brought population, settle- ments have been ibrmed, the aspect of the country has become changed, and everything looks prosper- ous. During the year 1846, $1,139,357 worth of Gold, was coined at the mint and branches of the United States from the mines of that region — comment on this would be superfluous — and I thcreibre state without hesita- tion, that the developments resulting from this explo- ration, will perfectly justify you, in making even a much greater outlay than I have named, should it be required. Li conclusion, I beg leave to bring under your notice, the valuable services I have derived, from Mr. W. M. Steers, who accompanied me throughout the entire exploration, through his industry, ability and skill, I was enabled to examine the greater por- tion of the seigniory, and by him, I have been assisted in collating the materials of the report, which I now 11 l)cg rospectfuly to submit to you, for your conside- ration. I have the honor to he, Gentlemen, Your most obedient, Humble servant, John P. Cuningham. To Chs. & Alex. De Lf ry. Esquires, Quebec.