1859.] ROSALES BALLAAEAT GOLD-PIELD. 499 



where the conical elevation in the background is Mount Buninyong, 

 also an extinct volcano*. 



You can also distinguish from this point the coarse of the shallovp' 

 channel, coming from the E.S.E. Kanges to Pennyweight Hill and 

 Pennyweight Plat (34), where, crossing over the course of a deep 

 auriferous channel (the Canadian), it was afterwards washed away 

 by the present Canadian Creek, and is found on the opposite side on 

 Poverty Point (35), pursuing its course to Golden Point (36), the 

 White Plat (37), and Balaclava (I), where it has been found under 

 the basalt in two or three pits ; and, although not searched for any 

 further (on account of the poorness of the " stuff," as the miners 

 say), some time or other its course will be disclosed. There is 

 another most interesting spot (46), where again successive channels 

 are to be observed. It is at the lower end of the "White Plat ; here 

 the shallow auriferous channel covers a deep auriferous lead, and 

 the Eiver Yarrowee or Leigh flows over the former f. Another in- 

 stance would in aU probability be found at Creswick, where I under- 

 ste,nd that the shallow channel in Portuguese Plat covers the deep 

 one ; and, although I have repeatedly heard that a '"' false bottom t 

 was gone through," still, as I have not inspected the place, I cannot 

 say more about it (see P.S,). 



Thus again the successive periods of deep and shallow channels 

 would seem to be almost satisfactorily established; but there must 

 be many more, for what are the di'ifts above the lower deposits of 

 the deep channels ? The study of the successive periods of channels 

 is a most interesting one, but somewhat intricate §. 



Contiuuing our observations, you see the towmship of Ballaarat to 

 the N.W., built on the basalt-bluffs. Turn now more westward, 

 and you discern the great extent of ground covered by basalt, which 

 igneous rock filled up the channels, valleys, and plains of the then 

 low ground, extending in all probability under the Lakes Burrembeet 

 and Laermonth towards the granite-ranges, the Pyrenees, ]3ursuing 

 its gradual fall then in a direction perhaps W. of the extinct volcanos 

 Mount Emu and Mount Elephant. 



Thus the basalt has thrown a trappean veil over the ante-volcanic 

 plains ; raise this veil for a moment, and then you would discover 

 unknown schist-ranges, unknown channels and. plains, and the re- 



* It was from Panorama Point and h'om the Black Hill that, some years ago, 

 I made a summary survey of the levels of the alluvium, ranges, &c. of the ground 

 situated to the E. and S.E. of Panorama Point, and was enabled to conclude, as 

 I then stated (Quart. Journ, Greol. Soc. vol. xi. p. 398), that the Eureka wovdd 

 run into the mainchannel somewhere about Pennyweight Flat (34). Tins has 

 since eventually happened, although, at the time I made the hypothesis and pro- 

 gnosis, the Eureka had only been traced just to the S. side of the Yarrowee. 



t At this spot the shallow channel was struck at the depth of 15 feet below 

 the Eiiver Yarrowee, which flows in a S.S.W. direction ; the auriferous drift and 

 the quartz-boulders were lying on a " false bottom," sinking through which, to 

 45 feet more depth, in clayish alluvium, was sufficient to reach the gutter of 

 the Nightingale Lead (45) bearing W.N.W., on the " true bottom," the schists. , 



j For this term, see my first letter, Quart. Joui'n. Geol. Soc. vol. xi. p. 397. 



§ See notes by Mr. Phillips and Mr. Eosales on tliis subject in the Quart. Jonrn. 

 Geol. Soc. vol. xiv. pp. 538 and 543. — Edit. 



