166 Scientific Intelligence. (Fes. 
the further progress of the discovery of the interior of New Holland, 
1 referred back again to your last January number (1816), in 
which the particulars of Governor Macquarrie’s expedition are de- 
tailed; and in p. 77 I observe he says, ‘* The Governor must, how- 
ever, add, that the hopes which were once so sanguinely entertained 
of this river becoming navigable to the Western Sea have ended in 
disappointment.” 1 should like to learn what were the reasons or 
the facts which led him to this conclusion, and it is somewhat sin- 
gular he does not state either the size or the nature of this river. In 
the account published in the Times it is stated that Mr. Evans, in 
his last excursion, fell in with a large river, which he conceives 
would become navigable for boats at the distance of a few days’ tra- 
velling, and he conjectures it must join the Macquarrie river. 
Perhaps, through the medium of your publication, some light 
may be thrown on these very interesting questions, connected with 
the geography of this singular continent, especially in reference to 
the curious account given by Flinders of the steep rocky bank of 
the Southern Coast, which it is most singular he never seems to 
have thought of endeavouring to ascend. 
Your obedient servant, 
L. J. 
a 
All the accounts of Mr. Evans’s journey which I have seen convey 
very little information, because we are not told the direction in 
which he travelled. The navigable river, as far as 1 can make it 
out, is merely that he fell in with a river which, if he had traced 
it far enough, he had no doubt would have become navigable,—T. 
XVII. Existence of a Stone in a Coal Bed, 
(To Dr, Thomson.) 
DEAR SIR, 
The following circumstance, which is considered curious, hap- 
pened in a coal-mine at Cockfield, in the county of Durham, four 
years ago :— 
A man hewing coal struck upon a substance which his pick would 
not enter. He immediately touk down his lamp, for the purpose of 
examining what it was that he was unable to penetrate ; whereon 
he discovered a large piece of stone. The stone was soon got out ; 
and as soon as this was accomplished, he ascended to show it to the 
banksman, who was very much surprised, having never before seen 
such a thing. It was next shown to Mr. D., the proprietor of the 
colliery, who examined it carefully, and found it to be flint. Mr. 
D. was kind enough to show it to me; but I certainly do not agree 
with him as to its being flint. The colour is bluish-grey, with a 
streak of blue silver purple running through it. Mr. D. informed 
me that, although he had been the owner of three different coal- 
mines upwards of half a century, an instance of this nature had 
