The Winter in and around Lyell 



were inquiring for a guide. It appeared that he had 

 made several trips up the river, and described an 

 extensive plain beyond the limestone hills, with lakes and 

 navigable streams, beyond which he had seen lofty snow- 

 capped mountains. These he had never visited, but 

 from his description we gathered that they formed a long 

 range on both sides of the river. 



He could tell us little of the nature of the rocks 

 except that the plains consisted of red sandstones, and 

 that some of the pebbles in the rivers contained what he 

 took to be gold, but which on examination of some which 

 he had brought away proved to be Iron Pyrites (FeS 2 ). 



On one occasion when he had penetrated farther than 

 usual in the direction of the snow mountains he had 

 come upon a country covered by great spreads of gravel 

 which he said were almost devoid of vegetation. 



During the third week of our stay in Lyell, small 

 earthquake shocks were felt, and the following night 

 there was a faint red glow seen in the northern sky. The 

 morning after, we found that our decks were covered 

 with a fine gritty substance, which upon microscopic 

 examination proved to be volcanic dust. From this we 

 judged that somewhere in the interior volcanic activity 

 was in progress, and we promised ourselves a full in- 

 vestigation at a later date. 



Shortly after this the prospector we had left in charge 

 of the bore-holes came into town and informed us that 

 in B.H. i he had come upon rock salt, while in B.H. 2 

 there was a sudden change in the character of the rock 

 at a depth of 630 feet, and that he wished us to take an 

 early opportunity of inspecting the cores. 



We therefore gave orders to get under steam in time 



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