10 ANNIYEESAHT ADDEESS. 



Subsequently, on the 26tli June, 1872, the f^econd expedition, 

 under the leadership of Mr. William Hann, accompanied by Mr, 

 Norman Taylor (geologist), Dr. Tate (botanist), Mr. Warner (sur- 

 veyor), and Messrs. Stewart and Nation, and Jerry (an aboriginal), 

 commenced a more systematic and organized survey. Leichhardt 

 did not, however (as surmised by Mr. Hann), say anything as to 

 the probability of gold occurring near Kirchner's Eange ; but the 

 latter gentleman, reasoning from discoveries of a later date, did 

 right in looking for it there, though he only met with a result 

 similar to that of Mr. Hackett's expedition. Both explorers, 

 nevertheless, confirm Leichhardt's statement as to the general 

 features of the country ; and Mr. Hann calls Kirchner Range 

 itself "a bold and conspicuous feature, abutting on the river." 



The range this time was ascended ; and from it, to the north 

 and north-east, as well as from Gregory's BluiF (a precipitous 

 notable feature, not mentioned by Leichhardt), was obtained a 

 view of a large, wild and broken, undulating country, in which 

 gold was, after search, not found. Mr. Hann — not accepting 

 Mr. Taylor's opinion, that that part is not auriferous — still thinks 

 strongly that it is " well worthy of the attention of gold-diggers." 



It would seem to me to be of a geological foraiation too much 

 ti'ansmuted, as it mainly consists of mica-schist often very gar- 

 netiferous ; for so soon as they got into a region in which slate, 

 with quartz ridges, occurred (though quartz drift was common 

 enough before), they struck gold. This was on the Palmer 

 Eiver, one of the new discoveries north of the Mitchell ; but in 

 all the country to the south, between it and the Lynd district, 

 watered by the Tate and "Walsh Eivers (both new to geogra- 

 phers), no gold was found. The principal formations there 

 besides granite, porphyry, and garnetiferous and mica-schist, with 

 some greenstone and basalt,, consisted of sandstone, with 

 occasional patches of limestone, some undoubtedly Devonian, in 

 the vicinity of which occurred Mesozoic deposits, which from the 

 fossils I have examined, are partly Cretaceous, and partly 

 Jurassic. 



