Geology 



centration of the gold of the terrace gravels, only the 

 lighter materials having been carried away. 



Nuggets, though small, were of quite common 

 occurrence, and we were able to collect and carry away 

 twelve and a half pounds weight. The deposit from 

 this stream was of course of very small extent, but it 

 showed the enormous possibilities of the terrace gravels, 

 and their suitability for hydraulic mining. 



We now gave orders to prepare for the return to 

 civilization, and while our impedimenta were being got 

 down the cliff to the main valley, we made a final dash 

 upstream, and were fortunate in finding two large 

 quartz veins cutting across the valley in an east and 

 west direction. 



In one of these we were able to detect iron pyrites 

 and also tiny specks of gold, but in the other pyrites 

 only in the portion exposed. In a gold-bearing district, 

 however, the presence of iron pyrites is usually con- 

 sidered a favourable indication. 



One final observation we made, namely, that the 

 river gravels above the outcrops of these quartz veins 

 still contained quartz pebbles, a certain indication that 

 there were yet other veins farther upstream, and that, 

 therefore, the possibilities of this wonderfully rich district 

 were not even yet exhausted. 



We were able after a rather exciting climb to reach 

 the bottom of the cliff just as the light failed, and we had 

 to make a halt as travelling over this broken ground was 

 impossible in the darkness. It was, however, about 

 full moon, and we hoped to be able to make a start a 

 few hours later, so as to reach a point within a day's 

 march of Three Forks before turning in. 



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