Sedimentary Deposits in Natal. 75 



settlers. Their apparently half-hearted efforts met with only partial 

 success, and the project was abandoned, after but little practical 

 work had been done. The fact remains that gold was found by 

 them in rich patches in isolated spots over the extremely limited 

 area on which work was done. It is to be regretted, however, that 

 they were not better acquainted with the nature of the formation that 

 they were dealing with, but such was only to be expected in the 

 early history of a new Colony. This formation deserves diligent 

 search and examination. It certainly appears to me to be a clay 

 schist. Pannings made from various portions of it invariably leave 

 a large proportion of ilmenite and black sand, and now and then a 

 small spot of gold appears visible to the naked eye. It would appear 

 to have been laid down among the primary formations in still water, 

 and to have suffered during the various upheavals occurring in the 

 early geological history of our country from the effects of pressure 

 metamorphism. The gold found in it is either flowery or 

 in small nuggets of extreme purity. It is in these primary forma- 

 tions, I believe, that the true origin of Natal gold will be found. 

 Pannings from the surface soil (which is of a dark colour where this 

 particular rock outcrops), almost always show a trace of gold, which, 

 no doubt, has been derived from this series of rock. 



