XXXI 



•eminent degree, elements of the beautiful 

 of another and higher type, which we all 

 so much admire and love. I refer to that 

 tenevolent. Christian gentleman, the Hon. 

 Sir James Agnew. This lake, whose out- 

 flow junctions with the Forth River be- 

 low, is to furnish the mining companj- 

 with water-power to drive their machin- 

 ery, and the enormous pressure obtain- 

 able, combined with the inexhaustible sup- 

 ply which the lake can furnish, will be an 

 asset of incalculable value to the mine. 



The Baru Bluff property, of which so 

 much is heard now, is comprised of two 

 80-acre sections of a highly metalliferous 

 character, the efforts of the proprietary, 

 up to date, in their endeavour to deter- 

 mine the value and extent of their huge 

 caperiferous outcrop, being represented 

 by about 21 open cuts, or excavations, de- 

 noting a large expenditure of money and 

 enterprise. Here are some assays from 

 some of these excavations, obtained from 

 our Government Analyst: — 



No. 1 Face. — Copper, 4.5 per cent.; sil- 

 ver, loz. 17dwt. 16gr.; gold, trace. 



No. 2 Face. — Copper, 9.5 per cent.; sil- 

 Ter, Ooz. 19dwt. 19gr. 



From across huge face. — Copper, 4.6 per 

 cent.; silver, 2oz. 9dwt. 



Assay by Mr. Stitt, of Zeehan. — Copper, 

 6.7 per cent.; silver, 14oz. 14dwt. 



These assays will give some idea of the 

 surface ^-rospects. What depth will prove 

 has yet to be decided, but indications 

 point to greater values. Vigorous tests in 

 the shape of tunnelling will soon be com- 

 menced, and the results will be awaited 

 with much interest by a large section of 

 the investing public. Mr. Murray, late 

 'Government Geologist of Victoria, who 

 lately visited the property, makes some in- 

 teresting remarks on its geological forma- 

 tion and probable value .which. I think, 

 is worth a brief quotation, coming, as it 

 ■does, from such an authority. He says : — 

 *'A number of excavations show quartzitic 

 ■schistose rocks, with a general east and 

 west strike, highly impregnated with iron 

 pyrites, and a considerable proportion of 

 copper pyrites. It cannot be described as 

 a lode, but as a great belt of schistose 

 Isands impregnated with ore, some rich, 

 others poor, but, taken as a whole, I con- 

 sider it to be a good, low to medium grade 

 proposition. As to the downward extent 

 of the great formation, the probabilities 

 are that it extends as far as human skill 

 can reach, and from a rough consideration 

 of some 8 millions of tons of ore bearing 

 rock in actual sight, 25 per cent, of which 

 would prove payable, I should estimate 

 the workable ore within 4 per cent, of cop- 

 per, besides such gold and silver contents 

 as may occur. Higher up the 

 •gully, above the Barn Bluff property, 

 is another mine known as the North Barn 



Bluff. We did not visit it. but could see 

 the workings, high up on the hillside, re- 

 presented bj' a couple of tunnels, with the 

 ubiquitous mullock heap at their entrance. 

 The Barn Bluff Camp is snugly 

 situated in the timber by the 

 Agnew Creek. We found it very 

 comfortable, although at the t:me 

 deserted, all the occvipants being absent 

 on their Easter holidays. Next morning 

 (Easter Tuesday, April 8) found us on the 

 move again, returning to Peliou. under, 

 alas, the lamentable conditions of fog 

 and mizzling rain. Fine weather here 

 seems to be the exception, and as we cross- 

 ed the open plains, where yesterday all 

 around us Nature smiled in kindly wel- 

 come, not a vestige of surroundings could 

 be seen; all was blotted out by mist and 

 rain, and in many instances it was diffi- 

 cult to determine the run of the track, as 

 it is not staked, and those who are not ac- 

 quainted with the country have to be guid- 

 ed by the horse tracks, which are often 

 easily missed. From the yawning valley of 

 the Forth, up its great gullies and gaps, 

 streamed the fog. wrapping up and soak- 

 ing all Nature in its ghostly embrace and 

 as we filed along the plains, phantom-like 

 through its envelopments, our situation 

 was far from agreeable or comfortable. It 

 was not until we got well on towards 

 Pelion W^est that the sun began to break 

 Up the mist, and away to the south the 

 mountains stood out bright and clear. 

 Skirting the er-^e of the plain above the 

 Forth Valley, the scene was grand in the 

 extreme; the breaking mists, twisting, 

 writhing, and swirling, from the great 

 gulph beneath, looked like emanations 

 from some gigantic witch cauldron, and 

 we looked on in admiration. The Pelion 

 Huts were soon reached, and preparations 

 for the return journe.y home made by all 

 but myself. I remainino^ to obtain the bal- 

 ance of photographs that time, and the 

 weather had prevented me from securing. 

 Wednesday April 9, at 7 o'clock, Messrs. 

 Hawson and Boxall left me, Mr. Lloyd 

 having, I had forgotten to mention, gone 

 home on Sunday. I did certainly have 

 some misgivings at staying behind with 

 euch a lot of photographic baggage, in 

 such a wild uncertain climate, and so far 

 from outside help. Yet I felt I had not 

 done mv duty, and as the packer promis- 

 ed to return in a week's time, I thought 

 it right to stay, and. of course, I had good 

 company with Mr. Eenison Bell. How I 

 fared from the time I was left, until the 

 day I was compelled to flee out of it, I 

 have briefly indicated at the commence- 

 ment of this article, and as I have already 

 outrun the length of any decent paper 

 I will fill in the time of my stay with brief 

 extracts frommy diary to reduce length 

 as far as possible. 



