350 



AUSTRALASIA. 



the surrounding farmsteads ; Bourail, the most important agricultural centre in 

 the island, connected by good roads with the rising port of Gouaro ; Gomen, on a 

 spacious and safe roadstead, with a saladero for the preparation of tinned beef. 



The middle course of the Diahot, towards the north-east extremity of the 

 island, is the richest mineral district in French Melanesia. Here the Balade 

 mountain is traversed in all directions by metalliferous veins, including gold, 

 copper, pyrites, and nickel. At the time of the discovery in 1872, crowds flocked 



Fig. 151. — Isle of Pines. 

 Scale 1 : 350,00r). 



ijepths. 



to 32 

 Feet. 



32 to 160 

 Feet. 



160 Feet and 

 upwards. 



6 Miles. 



to the spot from Australia, hamlets sprang up in the midst of the wilderness, 

 mining companies were formed, and the district began to assume the aspect of a 

 Queensland cantonment, when a financial crash brought about the ruin of all these 

 mdertakings. Since then a mining association, supported by the government, 

 has made all further competition impossible ; the Australians have retired, and 

 the mining population is reduced to a small group at Ouegoa, guarded by a mili- 



