North-west Australian Fishery. 163 



Mr. E. T. Hardman, in his geological exploration 

 of the Kimberley country, a year or two ago, 

 detected gold for a distance of about 140 miles 

 along the course of the Ord and Elvire rivers ; 

 this discovery led to the systematic working of the 

 alluvial deposits, and several nuggets of considerable 

 size, one weighing as much as 28 ozs., have been 

 brought to light, Mr. Haynes, in a letter to the 

 author, dated July 26, 1886, states that 3,000 people 

 have already arrived at these gold-fields. On the 

 20th of August, the '' Assam " left London, carrying 

 on board an enterprising gentleman, who has gone 

 out with the intention of building several towns on 

 the north-west coast, to be connected by railways. 

 The rapid influx of immigrants in the northern 

 part of Western Australia, has caused Cossack to 

 acquire an importance, which, a short time ago, 

 would never have been anticipated. 



