49 
wash-dirt yielding gold, in the valley of the Yarra, at many 
parts of its course, and from the enormous deposits on the 
shores of the Bay of Port Phillip of black sand, an indication 
of a vast amount of rock-disintegration, that an enterprising 
metropolitan gold-mining company, mining between the City 
and the Domain, woidd meet with such satisfactory results 
as woidd encourage mining in ancient channels in every 
promising river of the Australasian colonies, having a per- 
manently defined bed, or course between escarpments of 
rock. The author has, in former years, had it in view to 
apply for a lease of that ground, but the illiberality of the 
Victorian Government to him, as the ji'ikst publisher of the 
early discovery (if gold in Victoria, at date of June 7th, 
1851, and the manner in which his claim for this and a later 
discovery of a gold-lield, the nucleus of the settlement of a 
largo population in the (Jipps Land ranges, has been evaded 
by the permanent head of the Department of Mines, has 
deterred him from personal action ; though, as having been 
an early and enterprising Victorian colonist, in establishment 
of new industries, he woidd willingly devoto (as he hereby 
iloes) a part of his leisure to promote the prosperity of his 
adopted land. 
Professor Silliman, of the United States, has visited and 
described many of the California)! gold deposits. He 
remarks — " We find it impossible to admit the existing river 
system as a cause adequate to the spreading of such vast 
masses of rounded materials ; the facts plainly point to a 
much greater volume of water than any now flowing in the 
valleys." Professor Hitchcock, in his " (J oology of Massa- 
chusetts" observes, that " all the diluvium which had been 
previously accumulated by various agencies, has been modi- 
lied by a powerful deluge sweeping from the north and 
north-west, over every part of the State, not excepting its 
highest mountains." (Similar evidences of action of a 
tumultuous flow of water are traceable throughout Australasia, 
and in our Victorian mining enterprises, the fact should be 
admitted, and operations conducted, as in view of such fact. 
Masses of formations of concreted water-worn gravels, 
upwards of 1,000 feet thick, upon a granite bed, are worked 
by mining enterprise in California. Gold is said to be 
obtainable throughout the entire mass, but in greatest 
quantity near the bed rock. The ancient river channels are 
clearly marked by a line of cock on either side, containing a 
blue cemented gravel, requiring crushing, but very rich. 
" Bangor is on an old channel, the bed of which is about (JO 
feet below the level of the lowest ravines in the neighbour- 
i 
