62 
This party was placed under the leadership of Mr. Colreavy, who worked over all 
the country between Newcastle and the Yilgarn Hills, a distance of some 200 miles, 
and although his first journey was not crowned with success, yet he thought so 
highly of the country further East that immediately afterwards he set out to 
prospect it on his own account. 
While this latter party was still in the field a sensation was caused by the 
sudden return from Yilgarn of Mr. Anstey, with some surprisingly rich specimens 
of gold, in quartz. This gentleman had gone in the same direction as Mr. 
Colreavy, with the intention of making an extensive prospecting and exploring 
tour. The excitement in consequence of his find was for some time very great, • 
but it was found, unfortunately, that the discovery was not as valuable as hacl 
been at first supposed, as further prospecting showed that, although the surface 
indications were good, the reef at a very slight depth pinched out. For¬ 
tunately, just at this time, Mr. Colreavy, who was prospecting Golden Valley, 
ten miies further South, struck a small reef, which carried gold throughout the 
stone, which caused another rush, and several small gold-bearing reefs were found. 
Prospecting was continued still further, when the “ Phoenix ” party dis¬ 
covered a rich series of reefs about thirty miles to the South of Golden Valley, 
which they named Southern Cross, from the fact of having made use of that 
constellation as a guide while travelling by night to the spot. Mr. Parker, 
following the same direction for forty miles further South, discovered in 
some low hills other reefs, which locality he named Parker’s Range. 
In the year 1892 prospecting was carried on further to the Eastward towards 
the Hampton Plains, and at a place called Coolgardie, about 100 miles East of 
Southern Cross. Mr. Bayley found a very rich reef, which has eclipsed all 
previous discoveries. Many other rich reefs and patches of alluvium have been 
discovered in a Northerly and North-Easterly direction from Coolgardie for a 
distance of 90 miles, but the great drawback to prospecting in this district is the 
scarcity of water. 
The first belt of auriferous country is situated about 160 miles to the East¬ 
ward of the township of York, in about 119° East longitude. The country on this 
Eastern side of the Darling Range consists mostly of undulating sand plains, clays, 
loam flats, with bold bare granite hills, rising abruptly from them. It is compara¬ 
tively elevated, being between 800 and 1,000 feet above the sea level, but present 
no marked features; there are no water-courses worth mentioning, the country being 
comparatively level, and all the highest ground is sand plain, into which the water 
sinks. The only places where there are any small water-courses are round the 
granite rocks, but these spread out on the fiats and clay pans, where the water 
evaporates, as there is not sufficient fall to cause it to run txnvards the coast. 
Most of the water met with in sinking is salt, with the exception of the soak- 
ages near the granite outcrops and to a certain depth on the high Metamorpliic 
ridges. This latter is due to the fact that rain falling upon these high points would 
soak away, carrying with it quantities of soluble salts, so that in the course of time 
rendering the country fresh, whilst on the lower ground just the reverse 
takes place, as not only do th e salts in the ground remain there but more 
is brought down from the higher ground by the water. 
Immediately to the Eastward of this belt of country are the Yilgarn ranges 
of Metamorphie rock containing numerous quartz reefs and ferruginous loefes, 
some of which have proved to be very rich in gold. 
The country is comparatively low and broken, being situated along the sides of 
the so-called lakes which drain a large portion of the interior, the denuding action 
in forming these lakes having removed the sandstone formation, exposing the older 
rocks beneath. 
The rocks on this line of gold-bearing country are mostly slates and schists, 
with here and there dykes of granite and other intrusive rocks. The reefs are, as 
