PROCEEDINGS, AUGUST. XXV 



The Hon. N. .1. Brown said he could confirm in every particular the 

 statements made by the reader of the paper with regard to Mr. Moore. 

 He was living in that part of the country at the time Mr. Moore went 

 through, and knew the whole history of his expedition. 



EXTKAORDIXARY PHENOMENON AT BEACONSIIELD. 



Mr. R. M. Johnston read the following paper, which was contributed 

 by Mr. Joseph Davie.s, the manager of the Tasmania gold mine at 

 Beaconsfield : — 



"Being connected with the Tasmania mine, and a resident in that 

 district since 1S77, I have had the pleasure of witnessing a very extraor- 

 dinary phenomenon, which has been perceptibly in operation during tlie 

 past three years. Parallel with the Cabbage Tree Range, the course of 

 which is 30deg. east of south; on the eastern side of the range (at the 

 base), three-quarters of a mile south-east from the Tasmania mine, there 

 is a depression in the surface, which forms a small lagoon, 140 yards in 

 circumference, and 10ft. deep, dish-shaped. (See on No. 1 sketch, section 

 No. 1.) Half a mile further south-east there is a flat almost oval-shaped 

 area, about 20 acres. The Junction Creek passes through the flat 

 between No. 2 and No. 7. No. 2 is a large lime quarry hole, 400 yards. 

 in circumference ; average depth, 24ft. Xo. 3 is also a lime quarry hole, 

 100 yards in circumference, and ^oft. deep. Large quantities ol lime- 

 stone were taken out of them 4G years since. The water that was 

 flowing into the two holes was kept under control with pumps driven by 

 water wheels. The quarries were abandoned in the year lSo2, and 

 remained full of water, the surplus being one sluice-head in the summer 

 and four in the winter, flowed out of the byewash into the creek. In 

 December, 1SS5. water at No. 1 commenced to subside, and very soon 

 disappeared. Before the end of the same year the water at Nos. 2 and 3 

 started subsiding, and within three weeks were quite dry. Just at that 

 time I had a large increase of water in the Tasmanian mine, at the oGOft. 

 level. The increase flower! through the joints of sandstone on the south- 

 east part of the mine. In order to take limestone from No. 4 the creek 

 was diverted into No. 2. I measured the water just a few feet before it 

 passed into the hole, and immediately it passed out, and found that 

 more than one sluice- head had disappeared. Nos. a, 6 and 7 are small 

 depressions that occurred in September last year, and are the receptacle 

 for an immense quantity of storm-water, which passes down through the 

 fissures and joints in the limestone. There is 10ft. thick of clay, sand, 

 and conglomerate boulders underlaying the lime bed between No. 2 and 

 No. 7. I first saw No. 8 on the 7th of last month ; it is 4ft. deep and 

 20ft. in circumference. No. 9 depression was first seen on March 17, ISS6. 

 The subsiding lasted 10 days, leaving a hole 14ft. deep and 90ft. in cir- 

 cumference. While the subsiding continued, the water being pumped by 

 the Tasmania, Florence Nightingale, and Lefroy mines was almost as white 

 as snow. The hole was filled up with sand, and remained (juiet until 

 the IGth of last month, when tlie sand vanished from sight. The sub- 

 siding lasted for seven days, making the hole 2oft. deep and 14Gft. in 

 circumference. I examined the bottom part of the hole, and found that 

 it contained soft limestone. I have filled up the hole witli 2S0 cubic 

 yards of clay, and diverted the water from No. 2 hole, which is now- 

 dry, and now I find that the water has decreased in all tlie mines. The 

 strike of the strata which is in parts of the mines (Lefroy mine excepted) 

 is almost on its edge, and cross-course cuts the Junction Creek, also 

 ancient channel, which no doubt has allowed the water to percolate 

 not less than one mile and a half to the mines. As a proof of this, in tho 

 year 1S'>0, while the Daily's United Co. was driving at their 200ft. level, 

 towards No. 9 they cut a huge body of water, which filled up drive 

 240ft. long, and shaft 200ft. deep within 40 minutes, and three sluice- 



