Prioriti/ of Discovery of the Victoria Gold Fields. 67 



sionary and well-known geologist, who so far back as 1841 

 found gold in the hills W. of Vale of Clyde, and had even 

 then proved to several influential personages by unmistakeable 

 evidence the existence of gold-quartz, with the remark that 

 in Australia, especially the province of Victoria, all scientific 

 indications were in favour of there being a great amount of 

 gold. But the learned country parson found at that time 

 little attention or interest, as well in consequence of its then 

 being still a penal colony, as of the ignorance at that period 

 universally prevalent as to the value of such indications. 



Ten years later a certain Mr. Hargrave adopted tlie 

 rational course of visiting California, where he made himself 

 master of the various means of obtaining gold, after whicli 

 he returned, and commenced to wash for gold in Summer 

 Hill Creek, Victoria, and thus became the practical dis- 

 coverer of the gold-fields, the special contributor to the de- 

 velopment of the resources of the country. The committee 

 of the Legislative Council, to whom was entrusted to examine 

 and report upon the claims of individuals as to the honour 

 of having discovered tlie Australian gold-fields, added to the 

 minute of 10th March, 1841, that Mr. Hargrave, who had so 

 disinterestedly thrown open to all this inexhaustible mine of 

 wealth, ought to receive £5000, and Rev. W. H. Clarke £1000 

 in recognition of his mineralogical researches, which had con- 

 duced to the same result. The first Australian gold, 18 oz, 

 in Weight, was landed in London by the Honduras on 20th 

 August, 1851. Thenceforward tlie importation increased 



