1854.] 



HEAPLEY — NEW ZEALAND GOLD-DIGGINGS, 



323 



able shortly to find the matrix, or otherwise "pockets" of a rich 

 description. In my last day's prospecting I found some very 

 angular and sharp fragments of quartz, containing gold, within about 

 25 yards, and below the quartz-rock in question ; and, from the entire 

 absence of abrasion on the edges or corners of these fragments, I 

 am induced to believe that they had not been deposited far, perhaps 

 not many yards, from the locality of their original matrix, I send 

 them to you herewith. The annexed is a section of the locality. 



Section of the Gold-diggings, at Coromandel, New Zealand. 

 Length of section about 75 yards. 



a, a. Yellow clay. 



b, b. Blue and yellow clay, not auriferous, underlying the "dirt-bed." 

 d, d. Dirt-bed with gold ; overlaid by yellow clay. 



You will see that, from the position of the denuded bed-rock on 

 the hill-side, it will be easy to carry off the drainage-water from any 

 working commencing at the point "/," and hence I purpose tuimel- 

 ling or "driving" to the right and left from that point, along the 

 surface of the rock, following it also downward, as far as the accu- 

 mulating water will allow. So long as the rock slants steeply down- 

 ward, there is no probability of much gold being found on its surface ; 

 but should any hollow or edge be found, gold in large quantities is 

 nearly sure to be found also ; at least, if the matrix from which the 

 fragments came lay on the hill above. 



From examination of the place, it would appear that the " dirt- 

 bed " {d, d) was a deposit arising from a slip from the surface of the 

 rock of the hill above ; and that, subsequent to its deposit, another 

 slip from a yet higher part of the hill had taken place, covering the 

 dirt-bed over with a yellow clay, in which there is no gold. Coolahan's 

 party, and others, examined this yellow clay, and found in it no 

 gold, but were not aware that it was a more recent, and consequently 

 overlying deposit to that from which they washed their gold, and 

 that it had slid from an upper level, beyond the matrix. 



I purpose, if the weather allows, to commence opening out the 



