X APPENDIX

NOTES OF A GEOLOGICAL EXCURSION IN A PART 0 QUEEN’S COUNTY, P. E. ISLAND.*

The inhabitants of Prince Edward Island, though well aware of the agricultural excellence of their beautiful Province, appear to have formed but a low estimate of its interest as a field of geological en- quiry. When a stranger enquires respecting the structure ofthe Island, he is either informed that it is entirely an alluvial deposit of sand and clay, or that it is based upon unvarying strata of red sand stone, affording no indications of anything either in- teresting or profitable. Such conclusions with res- pect to any country, can scarcely be correct. There is probably no part ofthe world incapable of reward- ing the attention of a careful observer ofits rock formation, and certainly few which do not afford some mineral production, sufficiently valuable to form objects of profitable industry. Trusting that P. E. Island would not be an exception to this gene- ral truth, I was induced, during a recent visit to Charlottetown to spend a day or two' in a rapid and cursory examination ofa few parts of the neighbour- ing country. The results ofthese excursions having been in some respects different from those which I had anticipated, and being new to some ofmy friends in Charlottetown, I have prepared a short notice of them, with the view of directing to the geology of your province, a greater degree of attention than it has yet received.

Crossing Charlottetown harbor at the ferry, red sand stone appears on the opposite shore, and as we proceed eastward, the country preserves its rather level character and red coloured soil. On approach- ing the shore, about three miles from the ferry, hills of moderate elevation appear, sloping gently to the

* From a. correspondent to the Royal Gazette, signed ‘ D., and dated Piotou, August 2, 1842.