60 
Tlie gold diggings, which were very rich here, followed a narrow North and 
South belt of country to the Westward of the township, along the side of a feld- 
stone dyke, which forms a long steep ridge running a little East of North. 
The country between this ridge and the Albert Edward Range, which latter 
presents a flat-topped appearance from a distance, consists of a series of low, 
broken, rough hills, of clay slate and schist, with numerous quartz reefs and basalt 
dykes, over the whole of which a little gold can be found; whilst to the South- 
West, there is a small open stretch of alluvial country, beyond which the bold 
granite hills rise. Very little prospecting has been done in this latter directionJ 
but it is highly probable that some rich deposits may exist in the deeper ground, 
as it is in the heart of this rich gold-hearing tract. 
The reefs which carry gold are mostly small, but make here and there into 
large rich bunches. None of them have the appearance of being true veins, but 
simply ‘‘gash J ' veins, caused by the intrusion of the large dyke to the Eastward, 
They have no walls worth speaking of, follow no regular course, cannot be traced 
for any distance at the surface, and pinch out in many cases, in depth. It is ex¬ 
tremely questionable whether any of the reefs will pay to work permanently out. 
There is not the least doubt but that the gold in the gullies was derived directly 
from them. 
The water-level at Hall’s Creek itself has not yet been determined, as until 
lately water has always been standing in the pools. 
The Brockman. 
About 10 miles to the South-Eastward of Hall’s Creek, on Butcher’s Gullv, 
which is a tributary of the Black Elvira, are the Brockman Diggings. Here, as 
at Hall’s Creek, the rich belt of gold-bearing country is narrow, but extends for 
three or four miles in a North and South direction. 
Very little is now being done in the way of alluvial work, but several leases 
and claims have been taken up on the reefs, some of which are still being worked. 
The country is rough, the main feature being the large quartz reef which 
forms the main hill ridge of this part, attaining an elevation of as much as 300 
feet above the low surrounding country, and it is upon this that most of the prin¬ 
cipal mines are situated, only a few being situated on a line which is on a 
lower ridge further to the Westward. 
A large water supply can be obtained in this belt of country, at a depth of 
from 30ft. to 50ft., but, as a rule, the wells have not yet been sunk deep enough 
to obtain enougli for continuous crushing. 
The Ruby. 
This field is about five miles in length, mostly on one main line of lode. 
Large quartz reefs form the main hills, running nearly North and South, 
with the flat-topped Albert Edward Range close to the Eastward, whilst to the 
Westward there is a l>elt of very rough slate and quartzite country. 
Most of the leases and claims have been taken up in a continuous line for a 
distance of over three miles. 
As a whole this field is very promising, considering the size of the reefs, their 
defined character, the ease with which they can be worked and the gold can be 
extracted from the stone, the length of outcrop along which gold has been found, 
and the quantity of good water, timber and fuel. 
Some mines are still being worked by the miners themselves, who raise 
stone and stack it until there is sufficient water to work the batteries, both 
of which on this field crush for the public; but as this way of working is very 
expensive, only the very rich stone is picked out. 
