ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 11 
resemblance to the condition of our Blue. Mountain ranges 
* * with an axis of chloritic and talcose schist and quart- 
zites, with occasional limestones of Silurian age, in which oceur 
metallic ores and gold in veins of quartz. * * * Ason the 
flanks of the Ural the carboniferous formation reposes, so in this 
country occurs the very same order of deposits. It is, therefore, 
highly probable that, besides the lead and copper which exist in 
the Blue Mountain ranges, auriferous sands will be found in the 
rivers flowing from them. * * * New South Wales will 
probably, on some future day, be found wonderfully rich in 
metals,” 
Under the heading of “The Port Phillip Gold Mine,” there ap- 
pears an extract from the Melbourne Herald in the Sydney Herald, 
of 14th February, 1849: “On Saturday morning several — 
left town for the scene of treasure at the Pyrenees. * * 
In the meantime large lumps of gold have found their way to town, 
two of them weighing 22 and 24 ozs. respectively, * * * 
With regard to the shepherd boy, the original discoverer, his 
whereabouts is involved in mystery. * * * Two facts may 
be relied on—lst. That, from the specimens which we have 
Seen, an immense mass of gold lies in the bowels of the earth, in 
the district of the Pyrenees, which has been thrown up in lava by 
volcanic action. [Observe the writer's idea of facts {| 2nd. That 
the only person who knows the locality is the shepherd boy alluded 
to, and who sold the lumps we have seen to Duchene and Bren- 
tani.” In the Herald of 16th February, 1849, there is a letter 
sommenting on the foregoing, evidently written by Mr. Clarke, 
although signed “Plutus.” Among other things he says, “Gold is 
not so rare a mineral as many imagine, nor is there any lack of it 
in this country. It would not indeed be surprising if it should 
eventually be found in some abundance.” He then describes how 
it usually occurs, and concludes, “It may do no harm to add that 
there is no instance of any man making his fortune by opening a 
_ gold-mine, and that it is only in countries where labour is as cheap 
48 it is with slaves and serfs that even gold-washing pays.” Sub- 
Sequent experience must have led Mr. Clarke to modify that view. 
