NERBUDDA DISTRICT. 99 



the investigation of the geology of this district, if this could have been 

 accomplished, as was originally intended, previously to attempting any 

 general description. Meanwhile, however, it seemed desirable to publish 

 at once what was known, and to leave the correction of errors, or the 

 addition of facts, to some future time. Sufficient has been done to shew 

 as we think, that these future researches will not materially affect the 

 great features of the classification here adopted, while much of valuable 

 detail undoubtedly still remains to be worked out. 



With great pleasure I take this opportunity of bearing testimony to 

 the zeal and intelligence which my colleague and assistant, Mr. Joseph 

 G. Medlicott, has devoted to the work entrusted to him. The valuable 

 Map which accompanies this Report, and which is almost entirely the 

 result of his own unaided surveys (with some contributions from Mr. 

 Theobald along the river itself,) sufficiently attests my words. European 

 Geologists seldom realize fully the difficulties which attend the steps of 

 their brother labourers in this country. Districts without maps, without 

 roads, without supplies, without inhabitants, meet you frequently. To go 

 where you wish is often simply impossible, and you must only rest 

 content to go where you can. The most malarious and deadly parts of 

 the jungle are often those which give the best, or perhaps the only 

 sections visible. Seldom is it possible to return to the same place a 

 second time, to correct an error, or supply an omission. The most 

 marked and prominent features of the country, to which you trust as 

 landmarks to fix accurately your position, are not uncommonly sources 

 of confusion and perplexity, as you find the same peak known by differ- 

 ent names, from different sides, or by different people, a fact which you 

 only discover after long and tedious cross-examination. 



These difficulties are not stated here, as affording any excuse for errors, 

 although they might fairly be accepted as a palliation of deficiencies. 

 Nor do I think such need be urged in the present case inasmuch as Mr. 

 J. Medlicott has, with very trifling assistance, mapped, and successfully 

 examined geologically, an area of about 8,157 square miles, (a) 



(a) This includes the whole area of the larger Map, of which however, a considerable 

 portion is covered by the valley alluvium. — Topographically, about 5,625 square miles may 

 be considered as a compilation, 2,532 being from original sketch surveys. 



