98 On Precious Stones. 



the temperature modified by the clearings and burnings of 

 the timber ; whilst the lakes and morasses must be much 

 more rapidly silted up by the unusual quantities of mud 

 brought down the rivers, owing to the extensive sluicing of 

 their banks, and the lateral creeks and gullies, in the 

 search for gold. 



Sale, 19th November, 1863. 



Art. XXYI. — On Precious, Stones. By Eev. John J. 

 Bleasdale, D.D. 



[Abstract of paper, the original read 23rd November, 1863.] 



In former years, when the little leisure time at my dis- 

 posal — seldom more than barely sufficient for necessary 

 recreation — was taken up by some chemical or microscopic 

 investigation, I often wondered that no one undertook to 

 make a collection of, and report upon, the precious stones, 

 (which from time to time were picked up about the gold- 

 fields,) and aid the miners with a few hints as to the stones 

 they should look for, in what place they would be likely to 

 find them, and the probable value attaching to them in their 

 rough state, or in a wrought condition. , When once it 

 became known that our mines yielded gems as well as gold, 

 I could not help thinking it a pity that such fine opportuni- 

 ties as were every day afforded of collecting them should be 

 lost, when little more would be required in order to obtain 

 them than a sharp look out when washing for the gold, and 

 occasionally examining the sluices, water-courses, and boxes 

 in which the gravel and sand are agitated and washed. 

 Neither would the additional time and labor needed be of 

 much importance, since being for the most part specifically 

 much heavier than quartz pebbles and sand, they would find 

 a lodgment in such cases not far from the gold. In fact, 

 nearly all the diamonds and sapphires were so found, or 

 picked out of the tin dish in the last operation of clearing the 

 gold. Still, no one came forward, so far as I could learn. 

 Notices of discoveries did appear occasionally in the public 

 papers, but they have always been individual and fragmen- 

 tary. About a year ago, when my leisure became too little 

 and too interrupted to allow me to look to my laboratory 



