4 KEPORT 1869. 



of tUc most promiuent of the ravines already referred to. The length of the 

 deposit, that is to say the face of the hill on which it was found, fronted the 

 "VVaigat, due west, magnetic. 



I took from England, besides hammers, picks, and shovels, all the neces- 

 saries for blasting; but these latter were unnecessary. The seam was for 

 the most part enclosed by sand, and specimens were obtained with ease. The 

 division of labour was as follows : — The natives (fourteen) collected, Mr. 

 Tegner interpreted, and I selected. I directed Mr. Brown to collect speci- 

 mens of the different strata in order that sections might be prepared*. The 

 specimens are before me, and comprise : — basalt ; sandstone containing nodules 

 of basalt rather smaller than an ordinary walnut ; indurated black mud, pro- 

 bably derived from decomposed basaltic rock ; limestone ; calcareous mud, 

 containing lime and alumina ; calcareous mud with layers of vegetable matter ; 

 sandstones of different degrees of fineness ; sandstone containing a large 

 amount of alumina ; coarse sandstone, about equivalent to the millstone grit 

 of Derbyshire and Yorkshire ; coarse conglomerate sandstone, with fragments 

 of silica about the size of common horse-beans ; calcareous sandstones of 

 different degrees of fineness (effervescing readily when hydrochloric acid is 

 applied) ; fine-gTaincd calcareous sandstone, in which the lime effervesces 

 when hydrochloric acid is appKed, and containing mica distributed in patches 

 with silica ; calcareous sandstone, with layers of vegetable matter ; ferrugi- 

 nous conglomerate (grains of quartz, cemented togetlier by oxide of iron) ; 

 hard clay of black colour ; fine hardened mud containing vegetable impres- 

 sions ; streaks of clay, with layers of coal one-sixteenth of an inch thick ; 

 bitiyniuous shale ; and lignite f. After a hard day's work we returned to our 

 camp, in a ruined native house by the shore. It froze sharply during the 

 night. 



On the 23rd we resumed work, and by the close of the day had made a 

 large collection of good specimens. It was my endeavour to select, as far as 

 possible, perfect specimens of individual species, rather than fine slabs con- 

 taining numerous species. Unfortunately a large number of the finest 

 specimens were irremediably smashed in transit down the hill ; this was 

 due much more to the brittleness of the specimens and the steepness of the 

 descent than to carelessness. The natives indeed worked admirably. 



On the 24th we finished our work at this localitj'. A trench had been 

 dug by this time 20 feet in length, to a depth of 5 feet, completely through 

 the seam, and the section showed : — • 



ft. in. 



1. Stratum of fine sand, light grey colour 1 7 deep. 



2. „ similar to No. 1, darker 8 „ 



3. „ fine white sand 8 „ 



4. ,, similar to No. 2 9 „ 



5. „ „ No. 3 6 „ 



G. „ yellow sand. 



The impressions of leaves were found for the most part in stratum No. 1, 

 or ripon the surface; they were also obtained from Nos. 2, 3, 4, but I 

 believe not lower. Those found in the uppermost and upon the surface were 

 ordinarily in hard clay, red in colour, due to oxide of iron. These did not 

 suffer much by transportation ; but the surface had apparently undergone a 

 careful scrutiny, and few very perfect specimens were obtained from it. 



♦ The sections have not yet been handed to me. 

 . t These specimens haye been named by Prof. J. Tennant, who has obliged me by examining 

 and naming all the specimens referred to in this Eeport. 



