months,
had been taking nuggets of gold of a large size to Maneroo for sale,
but declined stating from whence it was obtained. The Rev. Mr. Clarke,
who has been on a prospecting tour under the auspices of the Sydney
Government, arrived at the spot, and at once pronounced the important
geological fact, that the district of Lake Omeo is the matrix of
the Australian gold-field, from whence has flowed the auriferous
deposits at Mount Alexander and the other gold regions now so
celebrated for their grand results. The Rev. Mr. Clarke has left to
make his report to the Sydney Government, by whom he is employed; and
Mr. Commissioner Smythe is still here, on behalf of the Government of
Victoria. These facts may be relied upon. Besides other authority, I
may mention that of Mr. Nicholson, whose station is on the Mitta-Mitta.
In the rainy season the gold-field of Lake Omeo will be unapproachable.
The conclusion is, that this locality will be the summer diggings, and
Mount Alexander the winter diggings. Thus the gold-searchers will be a
migratory population.
The Victoria Gold Fields.—The
course my observations have hitherto taken lias been confined on the
eastward to Western-port, and Albury on the north and east, the ranges
of Dandenong, Yarra, Plenty, and what in my memorandums I have
designated the Pyre-nean range, extending from the Plenty westward, and
including Mounts Alexander, Macedon, and Cole (what 1 consider to form
the grand gold deposit of Victoria), with the whole country westward to
the Glenelg, and north to the Murray. Future observations during the
present summer I hope will enable me to lay down a tolerably accurate
chart of the geology of this part of Victoria ; and should my residence
in the colony extend over the next summer, Gipps Land will be the field
of my observation.
I
find the whole of the last observed region named, to bear the strongest
indications of auriferous deposit, even to the streets of Melbourne ;
but I felt satisfied from the first, and such experience as we have had
has shewn it, that the richer deposit will be found on the northern
slope of the ranges, or, to be more explicit, on those creeks and
rivers rising in the ranges which flow northward, and which eventually
discharge their waters in the Murray. This northward tendency of the
deposit will be fonnd to prevail in every portion, even
