Geography of the Australian Colonies (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1854 edition. Excerpt: ...in the country between the Lachlan, the Bogan, and the Darling are also pointed out, and a strong opinion expressed, that, from their geological structure, an extensive gold field must exist in these localities. In the Surveyor General's account of his expedition to Australia Felix (now Victoria) in 1836, having found the trappeanconglomerate, with embedded quartz pebbles on the flanks of the granite range of Mount Cole, and the strata of clay-slate inclining almost perpendicularly to the horizon, with trap-rock above it, on the banks of the Colibaw, in the locality of Mount Byng (now better known as Mount Alexander), he speaks with the fullest confidence that Australia presents ample fields for the researches of the geologist and the gold-miner. Valuable as was the infonnation contained in the works of the Surveyor General, and elaborate as were the surveys of mountain ranges made in the colony by himself and staff, neither the local nor the home Government took any steps for the development of the mineral wealth so clearly pointed out; and although small quantities of gold were periodically brought into Sydney for sale, by shepherds and other rural labourers, and the Rev. W. B. Clarke had, in 184-1, brought gold from the basin of the Macquarie, and exhibited it to members of the Government and of the Legislature, still the matter excited scarcely more than an incredulous smile. It remained for Mr. E. H. Hargraves, an old resident in the colony, and who had seen much in California, to develope practically the immense mineral treasures of the colony. Whilst in California, he became impressed with the striking similarity of the two countries; and with little of the skill of a. geologist, but with a great deal of the practical...