122 
GEOLOGY. 
both rivers traverse mountains composed solely of that rock, asso¬ 
ciated with hornblende rocks. 
I have since heard that the gold collected in the Batten river, 
near the Wangapeka, by a small party of diggers there, is found 
upon the sprface of decomposing granite. The gold itself is like 
gunpowder, and, from the description of the rock given to me by 
one of the men, I believe it to be hornblendic or syenitic. As the 
granite between the Boto-iti and Boto-roa rivers is also often 
hornblendic, may we not infer that the gold in those rivers is also 
derived from this peculiar rock ? 
We also tried the river Owen, but were not very successful, 
one single speck only proving its existence in that river. 
Throughout the course of the Buller gold was found in its bed 
and on its banks; and I collected some handsome specimens of 
heavy rolled gold in the rents of the tertiary rocks near the junc¬ 
tion of the Mangles with the Buller, sometimes taking it out with 
the knife. I am unable to state whether the gold there is derived 
from the older tertiary rocks, or whether it has been washed down 
out of the overlying drifts of probably postpliocene age. 
Two of my party went up the Matiri, and tried there, but with¬ 
out any success, although they were experienced hands, and 
washed through the greater part of the day. 
South of the Buller, in the Maruia, as well as in the whole 
course of the Grey and its tributaries, rarely leaving untried any 
spot which seemed likely, we searched in vain, unable to detect 
the least sign of the precious metal. 
So that, judging from ascertained facts, I may reasonably con¬ 
clude that the gold in the Buller is derived from the waste of the 
chains north of it, and that it is there that we shall find the 
quartz reefs which contained the gold in their now denuded parts, 
and the debris of which lie scattered all over the country. Again, 
in the gorge of the Buller, a few miles from its mouth, small 
scales of gold were found on washing the detritus. 
From what I have seen, I feel confident that the drift accumu¬ 
lated in the Matakitaki plains, as well as near the junction of 
the Inangahua, where large flats also occur, will one day aftord to 
the digger sufficient reward for his labours; but I would warn 
him not to venture into that solitary country before roads are 
made, so that easy communication be maintained with the settle¬ 
ment, in order that he need not lose half of his time in swagging 
provisions to the scene of his operations. 
CONCLUDING REMARKS. 
Having given, in the foregoing part, my observations made upon 
the spot during the course of my journey, I will now finally draw 
from them some conclusions as to the earlier form of this island, 
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