traces
of intrusive granite veins appear, which are beautifully developed in
the cuttings of the grand pass of Mount Victoria. A region of granite
succeeds as you approach Hartley, alternating with the sandstone at
first, and then entirely replacing it. The plains round Bathurst are
composed of the debris of this rock, intermixed occasionally
with quartz pebbles, the auriferous quantities of which are strongly
asserted by many, although they do not appear to have been tested as
yet. Nest comes the region of schists, quartz, and metals, with which
the New South Wales public have been so rapidly familiarized, the
mineral wealth of which would doubtless be deemed enormous, even in the
absence of the great and overwhelming attraction, the gold. The
character of these ranges differs entirely from that of the Blue
Mountains; they may be described generally as forming a succession of
basins, the sides exceedingly steep, over which wheel carriages may be
taken, not indeed without both danger and difficulty, but where the
construction of tolerable roads will be much more easy than that of the
Blue Mountain pass; precipices are not common in these localities,
although they are to be met with on the bends of the river, and in the
deep rocky gullies by which the mountains are cloven.
These
wilds, a few months since only known to the stockman and the shepherd,
now contain one of the most singularly constituted assemblages which
the world can present. It would be scarcely correct to call it a
society, for the social element is absolutely wanting, more so even
than in the much-abused California, where Selfishness and a disregard
of every thing but individual interests scarcely prevailed so much as
in the New South Wales gold-diggings. The scene has been so often
described as scarcely to bear repetition, but it is not easy to convey
the conception of it by any description on paper. Gunyas and tents of
every conceivable shape and construction, from the lined and
comfortable marquee down to a few boughs or a calico sheet, stand in
certain spots, as thick almost as houses in a street, tenanted by as
many as can find room to lie down in them, busy at daybreak with
cooking preparations, but deserted as soon as the meal is hastily
prepared and swallowed, then closed and left to take care of themselves
till the return of the miners for an equally hasty midday meal, and
again till supper time. At night the fires arc made up, and the
appearance of long lines of blazing
