15 
When we had prospected for some time and found the ranges becoming much too high for the horses, 
we descended from them into the eastern plains, and camped at Francis creek, near some fine reaches of 
water, where we got colors of gold. Here again were the cappings of mineral lodes. From this point to 
the Eveleen mine our course was more easterly, leading us into the granite plain. The granite is blue, 
close-grained, and forming hills and heaps of boulders 100ft. or so in height. To the westward the slate 
ranges continue, with promising indications. Through this part of them the track to the Eveleen mine has 
been made, so that the neighboring country will soon be well known. 
The Eveleen mine I have referred to in another place, as well as the curious limestone country. At the 
Eveleen we were joined by Mr. Nash, the chief warden. From the mine we went to Houschildt’s rush, 
about four miles south. This also I have described, and I need only add now that this country is all of an 
exceedingly promising kind, and will } r et, I am convinced, be found yielding much valuable mineral. It is 
very little known. From Houschildt’s rush we went eastward to the Mary, and on the second day’s journey 
along its banks came upon the camp of two prospectors, Messrs. Roberts and Haim. Here we remained a 
couple of days resting the horses and examining the country in advance. 
In our course to the Mary we had passed over auriferous slates with porphyry dykes, differing from 
anything observed in the northern portions of the range; the small veins of ironstone and quartz cropping 
out here and there are all of most promising character. In passing along the valleys of the Mary, as we 
travelled south, we soon found ourselves hemmed in between the ranges and the river valley, which is too 
b°n£y ^ or h° rses to cross without a long delay. The range was granite at the edges and slate further to the 
westward. All the ranges are very steep, but scarcely 300ft. above the plain. Many outcrops of quartz and 
other mineral lodes were seen, notably a copper lode, and probably one of silver lead. This end of the 
ranges is full of excellent indications. From what has been observed by myself hereabouts, I think that the 
southern end of the ranges will prove to be richest in minerals at the junction with the granite. There are 
several hundred square miles tween the head of the Mary and Fine creek, most of which is not prospected, 
and all of which may reasonably be supposed to contain metals, and especially gold and silver-lead ore. 
We reached one of the heads of the Mary in three days, travelling from the Eveleen mine. The last 
half day s journey was through high narrow gorges, formed by cliffs of white magnesite and sandstone, 
which looked like chalk; some, however, were not white. At a fortress-like outlier, opposite our camp, the 
following was the section :—the base was white with large stains of red and yellow, and brown ; then there 
was a talus slope 120ft. high, consisting of ferruginous sandstone in blocks, scattered amid trees and 
grass; then there was about 40ft. of cliffs at the top, the lower half white and the upper 20ft. 
yellow and red. Of the floor of the valley we could see nothing, as it was so thickly grassed or covered 
with immense fragments of magnesian sandstone, fallen down from above. Our camp at the head of the 
Mary was Douglas springs, a beautiful shady valley with abundance of tall cabbage palms (PtychospermaJ. 
We found a passage to the top of the cliffs without difficulty, up a gorge 180ft. above the valley. There 
was a gap in the perpendicular cliffs which, with a little cutting, and the removal of stones, became perfectly 
accessible. Inside this was another rampart, some 20ft. high, so that in all the height was 200ft. 
above the valley. . The summit was apparently a perfectly level plain of poor open forest; but it rose in 
imperceptible incline, for about six miles, about 30ft. a mile, then it descended by an inclined plane for 
about five miles, until we came to springs and a creek 100ft. above the Mary river. Here auriferous slate 
re-appeared, and then a red porphyry rock, which is no doubt Leichhardt’s pegmatite. 
porphyry rock, which is no doubt Leichhardt’s pegmatite. The name pegmatite 
was a term much in use formerly, and applied to a kind of granite without mica, or mica in minute quantities. 
Base of quartz, with the felspar crystals lying separate in the quartz. The term is now disused. Until 
the rock has been carefully examined it will be referred to here as red porphyry. 
The creek we came upon was Kekwick’s fine springs, where Stuart camped twenty-five years ago. We 
looked tor Jus camp, but could not find it, though ancient tomahawk marks were visible on some of the trees. 
From this point the country was all red porphyry or pegmatite, for some days, mingled with a little fluviatile 
sandstone at Kekwick’s springs, and occasionally dykes of blue basalt or phonolite. We reached the 
Katherine river in two days. It is here a very fine river, with a deep wide valley, long reaches of water 
several miles m extent, and flood-marks on the trees 1 Oft. and more above the highest banks of the stream. The 
river valley is at first through porphyry ranges, but it gradually narrowed into gorges of fluviatile sandstone, 
quite impassable even on foot. The river also was confined between jirecipices of the same stone, some 50ft. 
in height. W e lost three days in trying to find a passage through these fluviatile conglomerates, which hem 
the river between cliffs, forming gorges of varying width, extending to over two miles. Ultimately we struck 
eastward again, crossing the tablelands, and we found beautiful springs and valleys at the base, with good 
grass. I he ranges are about 300ft. above the plain, thickly timbered, with grassy valleys and large springs 
of water on the very summit. We found the first cliffs a mere ridge, very rough and stony, and rising to 
400ft. above the plain. A series of ridges continued, and then a level inclined plain of three miles or so. 
By this we ( ascended 150ft., and then came to the head of a rocky gorge, which proved to be the head of 
Maude creek, this we descended until we reached almost the level of the Katherine river, and found 
auriferous s ates cropping out. I do not think the country very promising, but still it is a mineral formation 
which wants prospecting. V I saw no traces of mineral lodes. 
prom Maude creek we came in a few miles to Galloway’s cattle station, which is fourteen miles from the 
telegrap i & a ion on the Katherine river. Here poryliyry reappears, and low ranges of fluviatile sandstone, 
forming lough stony country. At the telegraph station is the limestone already described, which continues 
for ten miles north. Then succeeds the volcanic area nearly as far as the Phillips, at which is a promising 
auriferous country full of quartz reefs. This continues to the Fergussonby Mount Todd and the Drifiield river 
It seems more an auriferous country than likely to produce minerals such as we find on the eastern side of 
the ranges near the head of the Mary. From'thc Fergusson the granite crops out to within three miles of 
sen s mine, at 1 me creek. Thus the whole metalliferous country between Pine creek, or the end of 
Jansen 
the auriferous ranges and the Katherine river is about fifteen miles from north to south. I had not time to 
ascertain its width. I heard that some eight years ago two men got 28ozs. of gold by breaking it out of 
a reef at the head of the Driffield. Some prospecting parties were there at the time, hut nothing very rich 
was found, and other places had greater attractions for the miner. It is said that to the westward of the 
auriferous ranges, say at Pme creek, granite succeeds, then narrow belts of magnesite tableland, and then 
granite again, until the ranges at the sources of the Fitzmaurice are reached. Ibis 1 have not seen, >u * 
true, it will guide prospectors to point out to them that the locality best worth inspection, and winch will 
most likely lead to discoveries on the slate country, is the junction between them and the granite. 
The 
No. 122. 
