GEOLOGICAL XOlES IX THE GEEAT EXHIBITIOX^. 



307 



summits capped for manj^ months in the year with snow, form striliing 

 objects from whatever quarter the island is approached. The central part 

 consists of a table-land, averaging 3000 feet above the sea, and on which 

 are seven lakes, in size from 2500 to 50,000 acres, and in the aggregate 

 equal to 112,000 acres of fresh water. These lakes form the sources of 

 many considerable rivers. 



The undulating country between the lofty table-land and the sea is 

 covered with forests of gigantic trees, extending from the hill-tops down 

 to the water's edge. The Tasmanian Commissioners speak of the mineral 

 resources of that island as encouraging hopes of great advantages, especially 

 in respect of coal, of which numerous samples are exhibited from various 

 localities, — coal being, indeed, very generally distributed throughout it ; 

 time and the assistance of capitalists being all that is needed for its com- 

 mercial development. The main part of the fuel used in Hobart Town is 

 derived from the mines of New Town, and from the Tasman's Peninsula ; 

 but it is generally beliered that better beds exist in other districts. Public 

 attention has been of late much directed to ]\[ount Nicholas. The seam 

 there locally known as the " Kelly Moon seam " breaks out at a height of 

 500 feet above the Break o' Day Plains, about nine miles from Falkirk, 

 and can be worked by an adit-level. The coal is highly bituminous, and is 

 said to be well suited for steam, gas, and domestic purposes. The same seam 

 crops out near Fingal, and other places. This coal-bed is believed to 

 extend over an area of fourteen square miles on the north of the Break o' 

 Day Plains. Samples of bituminous coals are also exhibited from Douglas 

 Eiver and Long Point (G ft. 10 in. thick), on the east coast ; from IMersey 

 Hiver ; from Hamilton, about twenty miles distant, where a very good coal 

 (4 ft. 6 in.) lies 40 feet deep. 



On the southern side of the island anthracite is abundant, and samples 

 are shown from New Town, Tasman's Peninsula, Adventure Bay in Bruni 

 Island, and from Three Hut Point in D'Entrecasteaux Channel. The coal 

 at Tasman's Peninsula has been worked for twenty-five years, and the 

 seam, 3 ft. 6 in. to 4 feet thick, is got at by a shaft 75 feet deep, and 

 within 1(jO yards of the water's edge. A new seam has been struck here, 

 said to be of the highest quality. The coal formation of the south side of 

 the island extends round the mouth of the Huon to South-west Cape. The 

 labours of !Mr. Gould, the Government geologist, have of late been almost 

 concentrated on the coal-bearing deposits, and a commission was appointed 

 by the Parliament, in March last, for testing the comparative values of the 

 products of the various localities. The metal collections comprise gold, 

 which exists in various parts, especially in the Fingal district ; but not, as 

 far as is yet known, in anything like such richness as has made Australia 

 and California such temptations for adventurers. 



To stimulate exploration, the Colonial Government has offered a reward 

 of £20,000 for the discovery of a remunerative gold-field. There are abun- 

 dance of quartz-reefs iu the Fingal district, more or less auriferous, some of 

 which will probably eventually pay for crushing. Galena and copper-ore 

 have been found in different parts, but not hitherto in any considerable 

 quantity. Iron-ore abounds all over the colony. At Ilfracombe, eight 

 miles from the Tamar, there are immense masses of rich ore which will 

 doubtless prove highly advantageous, in connection with the coal-fields of 

 the east coast. It is said to be nearly identical Ts ith the brown heematite 

 of Mittigoug, in Is ew South Wales. Count Strzelecki, in his excellent 

 work on iS ew South Wales and Yan Diemen's Land, draws a comparison 

 between the agricu-ltural capabilities of the two countries, from a considera- 

 tion of the origins of their respective soils : the crystalline rocks, sach as 



