Mines and Mineral Statistics. 
35 
^ I now come to M^Gruiggan’s Lead, which, as regards tlie north 
side of the creek, is the most important discover}'" during 1874. 
Amongst the same hills from which on opposite slopes the Well- 
tried and other leads descend, two narrow leads commencing in 
shallow ground approach each other from the north-cast, ”and 
uniting at the head of a wide gully pursue a winding course a 
mile and a half in length to the Groobang Creek. Here, about 
the 1st of March last, M'Griiiggan and party took up an ordinary 
block claim, and at a depth of 48 feet reached payable gold, three 
dishes off the bottom yielding 1 dwt. The ground was speedily 
occupied under the frontage system, but not ]>roving to be the 
required depth was ultimately' hedd in block claims for 1 mile 
north and south of the Prospectors. The lead, although deepen- 
ing in its southern course from 18 to 06 feet, arid wlieu held in 
frontage areas from 103 feet to 111 feet and 115 feet, on the 
margin of the creek, was very productive, 1 or 2 ounces of gold 
per load being no uncommon return from tlie puddling machines. 
The frontage claims proved nearly as productive as usual on this 
field; the centre of the lead was richest in gold. ]\Iany of the 
upjier claims liaye been worked out, but there are still about 
thirty-five occupied on the block system and seven on the 
frontage. Tire bottom is a pipeclay, with occasional patches of 
compact clay slate, sandstone, and decomposed dioritc. The 
connection of the M‘Guiggan’a Lead north and Mdluiggan’s 
south, on the opposite side of the Goobang Crock has not yet 
been clearly traced. 
Three miles from M‘Guiggan’s on the opposite side of the high 
^ands to the the north-west, amidst a dense pine scrub, is the 
London Lead, discovered in January 1871. Xext in importance 
to the former, this lead in common with those previouslv noticed 
proved to be poor at its source ; but from Xo. 5 to Xo. 10 it 
gradually improved, and in the deep ground beyond Xo. 22 the 
course of the true lead has not yet been discovered, although it 
has been sought for with persevering industry along a line of 
protected areas 2 miles in length, which have been fre(|uently 
abandoned and as often re-occupied. On that line gold has been 
frequently obtained at long intervals, but not in payable quantities, 
and never in the deepest ground. The depth of the lead was 
from 27 feet at its head to 95 feet in Xo. 20 ; to that extent it 
was held in block claims, and thence onward under the frontage 
system. The richest portion of the lead has proved to be the 
lower blocks, being from Xo. 8 to Xo. 19 inclusive, at a depth of 
from GO to 80 feet. A deeper channel runs parallel to the lead, 
but the wash therein is not auriferous. lu several of the claims 
a consolidated drift or cement occurs ; this has been proved by a 
recent crushing to be as rich in gold as the ordinary wash-dirt, 
and consequently many claims abiindoned as worked out have 
