474 Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society. 



ticularly, boring should be successful, the dykes being generally 

 water-bearing. 



The characteristic rocks are granite and metamorphic gneiss, 

 and they are accompanied by bands of schist. These are 

 chloritic or micaceous, and are traversed by veins of quartz. 

 Numerous dykes of diabase, diorite, trap, &c, occur in both 

 granite and schist, and the latter has often been metamorphosed 

 at the point of contact. Other igneous rocks also occur in large 

 variety, such as pegmatites, rhyolites, diabases, andesites, 

 dolerites, basalts, peridotites, &c, and there can be no doubt 

 that in time a still greater variety will be found, together with 

 all sorts of minerals. The sedimentary deposits so character- 

 istic of the Transvaal do not appear to exist in the gold-bearing 

 areas of Rhodesia. Everywhere there are signs of intense 

 erosion and disintegration ; but there is a marked absence of 

 dislocations and the other indications of violent earth movement. 

 Gold occurs principally in the schists, but also in the diorite 

 and even in certain granites. Throughout the country one 

 meets with traces of ancient workings, and in some places these 

 appear to have been considerable. The most important are 

 those at Mazoe, Lo Mogundis, Umfuli in Mashonaland, at 

 Umtali in Manicaland, and at Gwanda, Selukwe, Insiza in 

 Matabeleland. Alluvial gold is found chiefly in connection with 

 the old workings. 



The goldfields of Manicaland, with which are included those 

 of Massi-Kesse, of Mashonaland, and of Matabeleland are next 

 described, though the author, owing to want of time, was not 

 able to visit them all. He was, however, so fortunate as to 

 obtain a good deal of information from mining engineers resident 

 in the country, who had a personal acquaintance with those he 

 had been obliged to pass by. 



The conclusion arrived at is that though, owing to the 

 structure of the country, many of the reefs are of no great 

 value, it is nevertheless probable that in some places gold 

 will in time be found in payable quantities. 



In conclusion, the author deals with the administration of the 

 mines, and speaks with disapproval of the 50 per cent, royalty — 

 in some cases, however, reduced to 20 per cent. — exacted by the 

 Chartered Company. 



Of the future of the mining industry it is difficult to speak 

 with certainty until the country has been better opened up by 

 xie railway ; of its possibilities from an agricultural point of 

 view there can be no doubt. M. W. 



