90 GEOLOGICAL FORMATION. 



it, would be a valuable building material, in situations where 

 durability is a desirable requisite. Many portions of it con- 

 tain crystals of garnet, and iron is very abundant in many 

 places, though I have not observed any specimens deserving 

 the name of ore. It would appear, that gold is contained in 

 many of the rocks on the western side, as all the streams, 

 descending into the great valley of Nellumboor, carry down 

 detritus containing sensible portions of gold dust, which is 

 washed out by the poorer natives in that quarter. An 

 officer was formerly appointed to examine this valley, with 

 the view of ascertaining, the probability of working mines 

 regularly, with advantage to Government. 



Subsequent observations, and experiments have shown, 

 t^iat, except by slave-labour, in the hands of natives of pro- 

 perty and power, no good has resulted from the washing of 

 the detritus. No lime has been found on any part of the 

 liills, and the clay, in general found, is not well suited to the 

 manufacture of bricks, tiles, or pottery, though this arises 

 from want of skill on the part of the manufacturers, as very 

 good bricks and tiles are now produced, in considerable quan- 

 tity, at many places on the hills, when superintended by 

 Europeans. 



The water found on the hills is occasionally hard, and 

 •sometimes contains iron, but there is no want of springs of 

 beautifully soft water. 



