2 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



The accidental discoveries of these earlier years had really little 

 value from the scientific standpoint, and none on commercial 

 grounds. They were not the result of intelligent research, and 

 in the ignorance then generally prevalent of mining processes and 

 the reduction of the gold-matrix could probably not have been 

 turned to profit. 



The earliest authentic records in Victoria do not go beyond 



1849, Dr. Clutterbuck, who resided in Port Phillip for ten years, 

 and went to England in September, 1849, says that three weeks 

 before he left there was a report of a discovery, in the Pyrenees, 

 which bid fair to rival the richness of California. And he adds : 

 " Captain White of the Berkshire, which left Port Phillip on the 

 25th of February, 1849, purchased 14 oz., at 80s. per oz., from Mr. 

 Brentani, who is said to be in possession of a large quantity, one 

 piece weighing 72 oz. I saw one lump of great purity, which 

 weighed 22 oz." In the importance of after events their inception 

 is apt to be antedated, but these dates are proved authentic by the 

 fact that Dr. Clutterbuck published his book in London in January, 



1850, before any attention had been attracted to the subject. 



It was not, however, until about the time of the offer of a reward 

 by the citizens of Melbourne that the local search began in earnest. 

 The meeting that resolved on that step was held on the 9th of June, 



1851, and on the following day a statement was published by Mr. 

 Wm. Campbell, a member of the Legislative Council, referring to 

 specimens of gold-bearing quartz which he had found in the pre- 

 vious March on the station of Donald Cameron, near Clunes. 

 During the month of May a large number of men were fossicking 

 in the gullies of the Plenty Eanges, and on the 26th of that month 

 two of them arrived in Melbourne and exhibited a good sample 

 of fine gold-dust. On the 4th of June a rich specimen, reported 

 vaguely to be from the "Pyrenees district," was exhibited in the 

 window of a watchmaker in Swanston Street. On the 17th a piece 

 of quartz, studded with gold, was shown, and said to have been 

 found on the Merri Creek, quite close to Melbourne; and three 

 days later a few ounces of fine gold were exhibited which had been 

 gathered at King Parrot Creek, on the. north side of the Plenty 

 Ranges. A fortnight later, on the 5th of July, Louis John Michel, 



