1853-4:.

YICTORIA.

REPORT FRO)[ THE

SELECT COMMITTEE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

ON THE

CLAIMS FOR THE DISCOVERY OF

GOLD IN VICTORIA.

l!}tocecbings of Q!onunittec,

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE,

APPENDIX.

ORDERED BY THE COUNCIL TO BE PRINTED,

lOth March, 185-f:.

~1! \lutfjorlty :

JOHN FERRES, GOVEUNMENT PRINTER, MELBOURNE, D.-No. 17, a!

EXTRACTED FROM THE )IlNUTES,

Wednesday, 12th October.

~. Mn. E. H. HARGREA VES.-The letter from His Excellency the Govemor General, and the accom­panying letter from Mr. Hargreaves, laid upon the Council Table by the Colonial Secretary, ou the 6th September last, having been read by the Clerk, .i\Ir. Greeves moved, pursuant to notice, That a Select Committee be now appointed to consider the propriety of requesting His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor to take such steps as may enable the Council to mark in a substantial manner their high appreciation of the services rendered by l\Ir. E. H. Hargreaves to this Colony, by the discovery of Gold Fields in the Continent of Australia; and also what other persons are entitled to reward for the discovery of the Victorian Gold Fields, and to take evidence, and that the Committee do consist of .i\Ir. Wm. Nicholson, Mr. :XI. Nicholson, }:[r. Strachan, :.\Ir. Hodgson, the Auditor General, Mr. Graham, and the 1\Iover.

Debate ensued. Mr. l.:Iyles moved as an amendment, that all the words after the word " That" ba omitted, with a

view to insert the following, "a Committee to be selected by Ballot, to consist of nine Members, be appointed to enquire into the claims of :Messrs. Esrnonds and Hiscock, whether they are entitled to be considered the first discoverers of workable Gold Fields in Victoria, and therefore entitled to a reward from the Government.

" Also to take into consideration the claim for a grant from .. the Revenue of Victoria prefen-ed by lvlr. E. H. Hargreaves for his alleged first discovery of Gold in Australia, to take evidence and report, in order that this Council may be in a position to recommend a testimonial of gratitude to him or them, for the incalculable advantage resulting to Victoria from the discovery of Gold."

Debate ensued. Amendment by leave withdrawn. 01iginal motion put and passed.

NAl!E.

!:Ir. L. J. l.lichel -Mr. W. Habberlin , T. Easter , H. Griffith

Captain .McLachlan W. H. Wright, Esq. ~Jr. J. Regan , J. Dunlop , W. Patterson -, A. Clarke , T. Hiscock , J. Esrnonds -

Dr. G. H. Brnhn

LIST OF WITNESSES EXA.1\:IINED.

l'A.GE. l 2 2 3 3 4

5,6 5 6 8 !)

10 19

REPORT.

The Committee appointed to consider the propriety of requesting His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor to take such steps as may enable the Council to mark in a substantial manner their high appreciation of the services rendered by lVIr. E. H. Hargreaves to this Colony, by the discovery of Gold Fields in the continent of Australia; and also what other persons are entitled to reward for the dis{;ovcry of the Victorian Gold Fields, have agreed to the following Report.

After giving every possible publicity to their intended investigation, and requesting, by public advertisements, all persons concerned to attend or communicate with Your Com­mittee, they proceeded to take the evidence of such persons as presented themselves; and took into consideration the various documents referred to them by Your Honorable House, the Report of the Committee of the Legislative Council of New South Wales on the subjoct of Mr. Hargreaves, and a large mass of correspondence relative to the claims of the Rev. W. B. Clarke, Don Louis de Boliva, and others.

In dealing with this subject, your Committee cannot but draw some distinction between scientific and practical discovery, for, although the former would, in reality, have been equally as beneficial as the latter, had the colonists been as ready to trust to the scien­tific theories of the scholar as they were to the tangible demonstrations of the actual digger; yet, seeing what has been the result of the Rev. W. B. Cla.rke's discovery in 1841, as com.:. pared with that of Mr. Hargreaves in 1851, your Committee feel called upon to recommend a more substantial reward to the one than they can do to the other. At the same time they admit the higher claims to honor and public consideration that the scientific explorer pos­sesses. It appears, from the evidence given by the Rev. W. B. Clarke, before the Select Committee of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, that as far back as 1841, he discovered gold in the mountainous country to the west of the V ale of Clwyd ;-that, in 1843, he spoke to many persons of the abundance of gold likely to be found in Australia ;-that, in 1844, he exhibited a sample of gold in quartz to the then Governor, the late Sir George Gipps, to the late Mr. Robinson, then Member of the Le.~rislativc Council for Port Phillip, to M1'. Justice Therry, and to several other persons; but, that the subject was not followed up" as much from considerations of the penal character of the Colony, as from the general ignorance of the value of such an indication." Thus, it appears, that the Rev. W. B. Clarke did all in his power to make his discovery serviceable to a country not then in a position to make that discovery available ; and your Committee, therefore, feel bound to recognise his claim to be considered the first discoverer of gold in Australia. The changed condition of the sister Colony when Mr. Hargreaves washed the first gold on the Summerhill Creek, aided by the ,knowledge of the mode of proceeding necessary to obtain the precious metal, acquired in California, put the discovery of Mr. Hargreavcs on a far more advantageous footing than that of Mr. Clarke, which, owing its origin to scientific research and analogical reasoning, could not be expected to make so strong an impression on the public mind as the palpable, practicable, and easily understood demonstrations of the former gentleman.

With reference to the discovery of the Victorian Gold Fields, Your Committee would recur to the early portion of the year 1851, after the discovery of the Bathurst and Turon workings in the northern portion of the great Australian Range. The not unfounded appre­-hensions of at least a temporary depression from the draining off of our population to the Northern district, caused a Committee to be formed in this City to promote the discovery of a Gold Field in Victoria. The knowledge that the dividing Range of this Colony is a con­tinuation of that of New South Wales, and that the general features of this country resem­,bled in many parts the auriferous districts of the former, induced a strong and prevalent impression that extensive gold deposits were to be found in Victoria; an impression which was strengthened by the fact of the production five years before of a large mass of gold ascertained to have been procured in the Pyrenees district.

It is therefore not surprising that much excitement on the subject prevailed at this period, and that several persons simultaneously commenced to search for gold in different localities.

It appears that in the month of March, 1850, the Hon. Member for the Loddon, Mr. W. Campbell, of Strath Loddon, discovered on the station of Mr. Donald Cameron, of Clunes, in company with that gentleman, his Superintendent, and a friend, several minute pieces of native gold in quartz. The circumstance was avowedly concealed at the time, from an

4

apprehension that its announcement would proYe injm·i0us to :\Ir. Cameron's run. Obsening, ho·wever, the migration of the population toNC\1- South 'Wales and the panic created through­out the whole Colony, antl especially in Melbourne; on the lOth June, 1851, Mr. Campbell addressed a letter to Mr. James Graham, M.L.C., stating that within a radius of fifteen miles of Burn Bank, on another party's station, he had procured specimens of gold.

A party formed by Mr. IJouis John Michel, consisting of himsdf, ::\Tr. Wm. Hab­bcrlin, James .Furnival, James l\Ielville, James Headon, ::md D. Grcenig, tliscoYered the existence of gold in the quartz rocks of the Yarra Ran~es, at Anderson';3 Creek, in the latter part of June, and 8hewetl it on the spot to Dr. W ebb llichmond, on behalf of the Gold Dis­covery Committee on the 5th July. They eommunicatetl the full particubrs of the locality to His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor on the 8th, aml on the 1Gth they brought to town and exhibited to the Gold Discovery Committee al)oye mentioned, a sample of gold procured by washing the alluvial soil in the same neighbourhood at Anderson' s Creek.

About the same time Mr. J ames Esmonds, who had returned two months previously from the Californian Diggings, on the completion of an engagement, set out in the search along with "1\Icssrs. Pugh, Burns, and Kelly, and obtained gold in the quartz rocks of the Pyrenees, near :Mr. Donald Cameron's station. This was exhibitetl by Mr. Esmonds at Geelong to Mr. Clarke and ::Yir. Patterson on the 5th July, and the general fact of the discovery of gold at the Pyrenees was published in the Geelong Aduertisr:t of the 7th, and the particulars of the precise locality, with Mr. Esmonds' consent on the 22nd Jul_y. On tl1e lOth of the following month (August) Mr. Patterson received a sample of gold from Esmonds, the produce of the cradle, from the same locality, since called the "Olunes" diggings.

Dr. Georgc H. Bruhn, a German physician, in the month of January, 1851 (i.e. before Mr. Harg:t·eayes' discovery at Summerhill) started from Melbourne to explore the mineral resources of this Colony. During his lengthened tour, he found, in ArJril, indica­tions of gold in quartz about two miles from l\Ir. l'arker's station, and, on arriving ut Mr. Cameron's station was shewn by that gentleman specimens of gold at what arc now called the " Clunes" cliggings. This information he promulgated through the country in the course of his journey, and communicated to Mr. James Esmonds, at that time engaged in el'ecting a building at Mr. James Hodgkinson's station. Dr. Druhn forwardecl specimens which were received by the Gold Discovery Committee on the 30th June, 1851.

The precise locality of Mr. Esmonds' discovery was not made kno>rn until the 22nd, whilst Mr. Campbell and Mr. Michel divulged the precise spot on the 5th; but it appears in evidence that previous to the former gentleman making the exact spot known, 1\:lr. Esmonds' party were actually at work upon it. Mr. Michel and his party have, therefore, in the opinion of your Committee, clearly established their claim to be held as first publishers of the discovery of a Gold Field in the Colony of Victoria; the situation of their works being shewn publicly on the 5th of July, and full particulars communicated to the Government on the 8th ; and licenses to dig for gold there, were issued shortly after, viz. : on the 1st September, which was previous to their issue upon any other Gold Field; and about three hundred persons were at work when Ballaarat was discovered.

At rach of these diggings workings were carried on 1rith more or less success, by a considerable number of diggers. Probably from want of practical experience rather than of good auriferous soil, it appears that not many were particularly fortunate; hut the workings were still in active operation at both places, when the extraordinary attractions of Ballaarat rapidly drew them off to its prolific deposits.

l\Ir. Thomas Hiscock, a resident at Buninyong, induced by the writings of the W. B. Clarke, aml by the discovery of Brentani's nugget in the Pyrenees district five years before, had kept a constant look out for gold in his neighbourhood. It does not seem that he was possessed of either scientific or practical knowledge of the subject ; but he discovered an auriferous deposit in the gully of the Buninyong Ranges now bearing his name, on the 8th August, aml he communicated the fact, with its precise locality, to the Editor of the Geelon,q A(h-ertiser on the 10th of that month; the same day as l\1r. Pattcrson, of Geelong, received from l\:fr. Esmonds the first actual produce of the Clunes diggings. It does not appear that there was any knowledge whatever by these parties of each others' commencing the search for gold.

It is obvious, that Mr. Hiscock's discovery at Buninyong, by attracting great numbers of diggers to the neighbourhood, wn.s the cause of the discovery of Ballaarat. Ballaarat is, in fact, upon the same range, and at no great distance, about six or seven miles. The discovery of the Golden Point at Ballaarat, it> claimed by two parties, both of whom went first to Hiscock's diggings, and then extended their searches, one on one side, the other on the other side of that grand focus of attraction. (132, 216). ':Vnere so many rich deposits were discovered, almost simultaneously, within a radius of little more than half a mile, it is difficult to decide to whom is due the actual commencement of the Ballam'at diggings. It is, however, clear that Mr. Brown and his party were working, during the first days of Septem­ber, on one side, and l\Iessrs. Regan and Dunlop on the other side of the range forming Golden Point. But it must be obsen·ed, that these, and the numerous other parties, who by

5

this time were searching the whole country for gold, had been attracted there by the dis­Co\·eries in the neighbourhood of Messrs. Esmonds and Hiscock, and that in the language of a disinterested witness, Mr. Alfred Clarke, of Geelong, "the discovery of Ballaarat was but a natural consequence of the discovery of BWlinyong."

Your Committee scarcely consider it within the scope of their instructions, to pursue the subject of subsequent discoveries. But the prolific deposits of Mount Alexander render it interesting to record that the honor of first finding Gold there is claimed by Christopher Thomas Peters, then a hut keeper at Barker's Creek, in the service of William Barket·, Esquire, on the 20th July, at Specimen Gully. John Worley, George Robinson, and Robert Keen, all in the same employment, were immediately associated with him in working the deposits, which they continued to do, with more or less privacy, during the whole of the following month. On the 1st of September, having become alarmed at their unauthorised appropriation of their produce, Worley, on behalf of the party, "to prevent them getting into trouble," published in one of the Melbourne journals an announcement of the precise situation of their workings. With this obscure notice, rendered still more so by the locality being described by the journalist as " at ·western Port," were ushered to the world the inexhaustible treasures of Mount Alexander.

Having thus reported upon the discovery of the Gold Fields of Victoria, your Com­mittee turn to the Petition of Mr. E. H. Hargreaves, soliciting an acknowledgment of his services in having first demonstrated the existence of profitable Gold Fields in the Continent of Australia. Your Committee consider that the Report and Evidence of the Committee of the Honorable the Legislative Council of New South Wales, received and adopted by that Honorable House, is to be taken as sufficient evidence of the fact that Mr. Hargreaves re­turned to the Colony, from California, for the express purpose of searching for gold, that he communicated his yiews and intl.mtions to the Government and others, that he succeeded in discovering gold deposits, and taught parties how to construct and use the apparatus required.

It is also ascertained that he did this with little assistance beyond his own limited means, without any stipulation for his own advantage, and it is known that since success has shewn the soundness of his views as to the richness of the Gold Fields of Australia, he has steadily refused many valuable opportunities of remunerating avocations ; trusting for his rewanl to the honor of the Government and the gratitude of his fellow Colonists.

To say that Mr. Hargreaves' discoveries led to the discovery of the Gold Fields of Victoria, is merely another mode of stating that the great dividing range, which stretches from one Colony to the other, is rich in auriferous deposits. Without doubt, on the first discovery of the northern diggings, a considerable number of our laboring population was drawn thither; but the infinitely greater evil of emigration to Califomia was stopped at once. Nor is it probable that the migration to the Sydney district would have been mor& than temporary, even had the Victorian diggings not been discovered; for it does not appear that either Tasmania or South Australia complain of their proximity to the mineral riches of Victoria.

Your Committee are therefore of opinion that the person who has openerl out to us the road to our apparently exhaustless treasures with a noble disinterestedness, unexampled in history, should receive a liberal reward. Considering that the gold discovery has advanced this Colony a century in progress, has placed it first in position of all the Australian Colonies, and materially benefitted it much more than New South Wales, your Committee recommend that the sum of £5000 should be presented to Mr. Hargreaves; and that the sum of £1000 should be awarded to the Rev. W. B. Clarke, in appreciation of his researches into the mineral wealth of the country.

With regard to the discovery of the Victorian Gold Fields, your Committee consider that the honor must be shared amongst all the parties already enumerated.

It will be seen that on the lOth June, Mr. Campbell communicated the general fact of his having discovered gold in the Pyrenees District to Mr. Graham, but, that it was not till the 5th July, that this fact together with the exact locality was made known by the former, in a letter of that date, addressed to the latter. On the same day (July 5) Mr. Michel actually showed the locality of his discovery to Dr. Richmond as a member of the Gold Discovery Committee. The Clunes discovery was also made known, at Geelong, by Mr. Esmonds on the same day; and the information of it was generally diffused by Dr. Bruhn in his tour through the interior. Mr. Hiscock's discovery, though later in date, was of so superior a value, since it at once led to the revealing the treasures of Ballaarat and the turning the tide of popular migration to our own borders, that your Committee consider him entitled to be placed in the foremost rank of our gold discoverers.

Your Committee therefore recommend that to Mr. Michel and his party as having, at considerable expense, succeeded in discovering and publishing an available Gold Field, the sum of £1000 should be given; to Mr. Hiscock, as the substantial discoverer of the Ballaarat deposits, a like sum of £1000; to Mr. Campbell, as without doubt the original discoverer of the Clunes, a like sum of £1000; to Mr. Esmonds, as the first actual producer of alluvial gold for the market, a like sum of £1000; and to Dr. Bruhn, as an acknowledgement of his

D.-No. 17, IJ.

6

services in exploring the country for five or six months, ancl diffusing the information of the discovery of gold, tl1e sum of £500.

In closing their report, your Committee would observe that their sittings have been protracted to an unusual length through their anxiety to examine thoroughly a very compli­cated subject, involving many conflicting claims, by means of evidence difficult of access and frequently of an imperfect character. They have been solicitous, also, not only to do justice to the rival pretensions of claimants, but to fonn an accurate record of this interesting portion of the history of Victoria.

The discovery of the Victorian Gold Fields has converted a remote dependency into a country of world-wide fame; it has attracted a population, extraordinary in number, with unprecedented mpidity; it has enhanced the value of property to an enormous extent; it has made this the richest country in the world ; and, in less than three years, it has done for this Colony the work of an age and made its impulses felt in the most distant regions of the earth.

Committee Rooms, lOth March, 1854.

(Signed) A. F. A. GREEVES, Chairma.~

7

PROCEEDINGS OF THE COiVI~iiTTEE.

TUESDAY, 18TH OCTOBER, 1~53. JfembeJ'S pl'esent:

~Ir. Greeves, :3:1r. :M. Nichol,;:on, Mr. Hodgson, and the Auditor General. Mr. Greeves called to the Chair. Order of proceeding discussed. !loved-That the Colonial Secretary be requested to have inserted in the GoL•ernment Gazette

a notice calling upon all r•ersons claiming to be the first discoverers of gold in this Colony to forward a statement of their claims within fourteen days to the Chairman of this Committee, and to be prepared to bring forward evidence to substatttiate them.

Adjourned to Thursday, 3rd November.

THURSDAY, 3RD NOVEMBER. Meml!ers p1•esent:

Mr. Greeves in the Chair. Mr. M. Nieholson, Mr. Hodgson, Mr. Graham, Mr. W. Nicholson, Mr. Strachan. Mr. L. J. Miehel, ~Ir. W. Habberlin, Mr. W. Easter, l\Ir. H. Griftiths, called in and examined.

Adjourned to Friday, 4th November.

FRIDAY, 4TH NOVE:3IBER. jJfembers present:

~Ir. Greeves in the Chair. ~fr. Graham, :31r. Hodgson.

·Captain McLaehlan, W. H. Wright, Esq., Mr. James Regan, ::\Ir. John Dunlop, called in and examined .

. :Mr. James Regan called in and further examined. Adjourned to Thursday, lOth November.

THURSDAY, lOTII NOVE~IBER. Members present:

:\lr. Greeves in the Chair. JHr. Hodgson, ~lr. M. Nicholson, Mr. Strachan, Mr. Graham. Mr. W. Patterson, ~lr. A. Clarke, called in and examined.

Adjourned to Thursday, 17th November.

THURSDAY, 17TH NOV-EMBER. Membera present:

Mr. Greeves in the Chair. Mr. W. Nicholson, 1\lr. M. Nicholson, Mr. Stra.chan. Mr. T. Hiscock called in and examined.

Adjourned to Thursday, 24th November.

THURSDAY, 24TH NOVEMBER. No quorum.

THURSDAY, 8TH DECEMBER. ~llembers present:

l\lr. Greeves in the Chair. Mr. llodgson, Mr. Strachan, Mr. W. Nicholson. Mr. James Esmonds called jn and examined.

Adjourned to Thursday, 26th January.

8

THURSDAY, 2G:rn JANUARY, 1854.

Jlfembe1's 1n·esent:

Mr. Grooves in the Chair.

l'tfr. :M. Nicholson, Mr. Strachan, Mr. H odgwn. The following Draft Report, brought up and read and ordered to be printed:-

1. The Committee appointed to consider the propriety of requesting His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor to take such steps as may enable the Council to mark in a substantial manner their high appreciation of the services rendered by Mr. E. H. Hargreaves to this Colony, by the discovery of Gold Fields in the continent of Australia; and also what other persons are entitled to reward for the discovery of the Victorian Gold Fields, have agreed to the follmYing Report. After giving every possible publicity to their intended imestigation, and requesting, by public advertisements, all persons concemed to attend or communicate with Your Committee, they proceeded to take the evidence of such persons as presented them­selves; and took into consideration the various documents referred to them by Your Honor­able House, the Report of the Committee of the Legislative Council of New South Wales on the subject of Mr. Hargreaves, and a large mass of correspondence relati,·e to the claims of the Rev. W. B. Clarke, Don Louis de Boliva, and others.

2. Your Committee consider that amongst the several classes of persons "·ho may be looked upon as discoverers, the merely accidental or even scientific discoverer, who takes no steps to render his discovery useful, is not, in the opinion of Your Committee, entitled to public reward. It is he who takes the earliest opportunity, for the benefit of the public, of making known his discovery (especially if that discovery be the result of systematic investi­gation), who is entitlcLl, not merely to the honorable distinction of his success, but also to the grateful consi<leration of the community.

3. With reference to the discovery of the Victorian Gold Fields, Your Committee would recur to the early portion of the year 1851, after the discovery of the Bathurst and Turon workings in the northern portion of the great Australian Range. The not unfounded appre. hensions of at least a temporary depression f1·om the draining off of our population to the· Northern district, caused a Committee to be formed in this City to promote the discovery of a Gold Field in Victoria. The knowledge that the dividing Range of this Colony is 1t con­tinuation of that of New South Wales, and that the general features of t~s country resem­bled in many parts the auriferous districts of the former, induced a strong and prevalent impression that extensive gold deposits were to be found in Victoria; an impression which was strengthened by the fact of the production five years before of a large mass of gold ascertained to have been procured in the Pyrenees district.

, 4. It is therefore not surprising that much excitement on the subject prevailed at this period, and that several persons simultaneously commenced to search for gold in different localities. It appears, indeed, that the three persons whose discoveries have clearly a priority of date over all others in Victoria,-namely Messrs. W. Campbell, M.L.C., L. J. Michell, and James Esmonds, made known their respective discoveries on the same day, 5th July, 1851.

5. A party formed by Mr. Louis John Michell, consisting of himself, Mr. Wm. Hab­berlin, James Furnival, James Melville, James Headon, and B. Greenig, discovered the existence of gold in the quartz rocks of the Yarra Ranges, at Anderson's Creek, in the latter part of June, and showed it on the spot to Dr. Webb Richmond on behalf of the Gold Dis­covery Committee, on the 5th of July. They communicated the full particulars of the locality to His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor on the 8th, and on the 16th they brought to town and exhibited to the Gold Discovery Committee above mentioned, a sample of gold procured by washing the alluvia.l soil in the same neighbourhood at Anderson's Creek.

6. About the same time Mr. J ames Esmonds, who had returned two months previously from the Californian Diggings, on the completion of an engagement, set out in the search along with Messrs. Pugh, Burns, and Kelly, and discovered gold in the quartz rocks of the Pyrenees, near Mr. Donald Cameron's station. This was exhibited by Mr. Esmonds at Geelong to Mr. Clarke and Mr. Patterson on the 5th July, and the general fact of the discovery of gold at the Pyrenees was published in the G-eclong Advertiser of the 7th, and the particulars of the precise locality, with 1\Ir. Esmonds' consent, on the 22nd July.

7. On the lOth of the following month (August) Mr. Patterson received a sample of gold from Mr. Esmonds, the produce of the cradle, from the same locality, since called the '' Clunes" diggings.

8. It appears that about the end of December, 1849, the Hon. Member for the Loddon, Mr. W. Campbell, of Strath Loddon, discovered on the station of Mr. Donald Cameron, of Clunes, in company with that gentleman, his Superintendent, and a friend, several minute pieces of native gold in quartz. The circumstance was avowedly concealed at the time, from an apprehension that its announcement would prove injurious to Mr. Cameron's run. It was not, in fact, made known until the sr0ret got wind, and, indeed, until a party C!J.me there to dig; which party, it appears in evidence, was actually that of Mr. Esmonds. On

!)

the 10th June, 1851, Mr. Campbcll had addressed a letter to Mr. James Graham M.L.C. stating that within a radius of fifteen miles of Burn Bank, on another party's station, h~ had procured specimens of gold; and though Mr. Graham was at liberty to divulO'c this fact had he thought proper, he did not do so. It was not until July 5, the same d~y on whicl~ Mr. Esmonds publicly showed his specimens at Geelong, and Mr. Michel took Dr. Richmond to the actual spot of his discovery, that Mr. Campbell forwarded a second letter to :\fr. Graham, indicating the exact locality of his discovery, and desiring its immediate communi­cation to the Gold Committee. It results, therefore, that the three parties 'made their announcement of having discovered gold in Victoria on the same day. Mr. Esmonds not, howeycr, consenting to the publication of the precise locality until the 22nd, Mr. Campbell and Mr .. Michcl divulged the prcci~c spot on the same day; but it appears in evidence that the former gentleman did not make the exact place known until Mr. Esmonds' party were actual~y at 1rork upon it. . Mr. Mi?hcl ~ncl his party have, thcrefor~, in. the opinion of your Committee, clearly est:1bhshed thmr clmm to be held as first pnbhc discoverers of a Gold Field in the Colony of Victoria; the situation of their worb being shewn publicly on the 5th of July, and full particulars communicated to the Government on the 8th; and licemocs to dig for gohl there wei'c issucrl shortly aftce, viz. : on the 1st September, which was previous to their issue upon any other Gold Field ; and about three hundred persons were at >vork when Ballaarat was discovered.

9. At each of those diggings workings were carriCll on with more or less succe;;:s, by a considerable number of diggers. ProbarJly, from want of practical experience, rather than of good auriferous soil, it appears that not many were particularly fortunate; but the workings were still in active operation at both places, when the extraordinary attractions of Ballaarat rapidly drew them off to its prolific deposits.

10. Mr. Thomas Hiscock, a resident at Buninyong, induced by the discovery of Ikentani's nugget in the Pyrenees district, five years before, had kept a constant look out for gold in his neighbourhood. It does not seem that he was possessed of either scientific or practical knowledge of the subject ; but he discovered an auriferous deposit in the gully Df the Buninyong Ranges now bearing his name, on the 8th August, and he communicated the fact, with its precise locality, to the Editor of the Geelong Advertiser on the lOth of that month; the same day as Mr. Patterson, of Geelong, received from Mr. Esmonds the first actual produce of the Clunes diggings. It does not appear that there was any knowledge whateyer by these parties, of each others commencing the search for gold.

11. It is ohrious, that 1\:Ir. Hiscock's discoyery at Buninyong, by attracting great numbers of diggers to the neighbourhood, was the cause of the discovery of Ballaarat. Ballaarat, is in fact, upon the same range, and at no distance, about six or seven miles. The discovery of the Golden Point at Balbarat, claimed by two parties, both of whom went first to Hiscock's digging.'l, and then extended their searches, ono on one side, the other on the other side of that grand focus of attraction (132, 216).

12. Whore so many rich deposits were discovered, almost simultaneously, within a radius of little more than half a mile, it is difficult to decide to whom is due the actual com­mencement of the Ballaarat diggings. It is, howt•ver, clear that Mr. Brown and his party were working, during the first days of September, on one side, and Messrs. Regau and Dunlop on the other side of the range forming Golden Point. But it must he observed, that these, and the numerous other parties, who by this time were s-earching the whole country for gold, had been attracted there by the discoveries in the neighbourhood of Messrs. Esmonds and Hiscock, and that in the language of a disinterested witness, Mr. Alfred Clarkc, of Geelong, "the discovery of Ballaarat was but a natural consequence of the discovery of Buninyong."

13. Your Committee scarcely consider it within their instructions, to pursue the subject of subseqn<>nt discoYeries. But the prolific deposits of .Mount Alexander, render it interesting to record that the honor of first finding Gold there is claimed by Christopher 'rhomas Peters, then a hut keeper at Barker's Creek, in the service of William Barker, Esquire, on the 20th July, at Specimen Gully. John Worley, George Uobi.nson, a.nd Robert Keen, all in the same employment, were immediately associated with him in working the deposits, which they continued to do, with more or less privacy, during the whole of the following month.

14. On the 1st of September, having beco:ne ala.nnerl at their unauthorised appropria­tion of their produce, Worley, on behalf of the party, "to prevent them getting into trouble," published in one of the Melbourne jonrnals an announcement of the precise situation of their workings. With this obscure notice, rendered still more obscure by the locality described by the journalist as " at Western Port," were ushered to the world the inex­haustible treasures of Mount Alexander.

15. Having thus reported upon the discovery bf the Gold FielUs of Victoria, your Com­mittee turn to the petition of Mr. E. H. Hargreavcs, soliciting an acknowledgment of his services in having first demonstrated the existence of profitable GolJ Fields in the Continent of Australia. Your Committee consider that the Report and Evidence of the Committee of the Honorable the Legislative Council of New South Wales, received and adopted by that Honorablc House, is to be received as sufficient evidence of the fact that Mr. HargreaveF~

D.-No. 17, c.

10

returned to the Colony, from Califomia, for the exprc.>s purpose of searching for gold, tiw:t he communicated his views and intentions to the Go-rernment and others, that he succcedecl in discovering goU deposits, and taught parties how to construct anrl use the apparatus required.

lG. It is aho ascertained that he did this with little assistance beyond his own limited means, without any stipulation for his own adyantagc. And it is lmmm that since success has shown the soundness of his views as to the richness of the Gold :Fields of Australia, he ]m;; stectdily refused m:1ny valuable opportunities of remunerating avocations; trusting for . his rc1mrd to the hono:· of the Government and the gratitude of his fellow Coloni:-ts.

17. To say tlmt l\Ir. Hargr·eaves' discoveries led to the discoyery of the Gold Fields of Victoria, is merely another mode of stating that he discovered tlmt the great dividing range, which strctche.s from one Colony to the other, is rich in auriferous deposits. Without doubt, on the first diseo1rery of the northern diggings, a considerable number of our htboring population was tlrawn thithm·; hut the infinitely gre:1tm· eYil of emigration to California was stopped at once. Nor i;:; it possible that the migration to the Syllncy district would have been more than temporary, even had the Victorian diggings not been discovered; and it tloes not appear that either 'l'asmania or South Australia complain of their proximity to the mineral riches of Victoria.

18. Your Committee are therefore of opinion that the discoverer who has opened out to us the road to our apparently exhaustless treasures with a noble disinterestedness, unex­ampled in history, should receive a liberal reward.

19. Considering that the gold discovery has advanced this Colony a century in progress, has plaeerl it flrst in position of all the Australian Colonies, and materially benefited it much more than New South \Vales, your Committee recommend that a sum equal to what already has been voted hy that Colony should be presented to l\lr.Hargreaves.

20. With reference to the discoveries of the Victorian Gold Fields, your Committee arc of opinion that several persons are entitled to a public recompense for the benefits they hnxe conferred on the Colony, Mr. Michel and his party in unreserved and unqualified :mnvunccment of their discovery.

21. Mr. Michel and party, and 1\Ir. Esmonds and party, have been already sbewn to be the first discoverers of the Gold Fields of Victoria for public use. Their operations were designed and systematic. They are therefore clearly entitled to the honor of the discovery. 1\Ir. Hiseock, though not indeed the first discoverer, opened up the grand discovery of Ballaarat, which first decidedly stopped emigration from the Colony, and showed the wonderful abundance of its mineral wealth.

22. Your Committee therefore rank him alfJng with the two former, and consider that a gratuity of two thousand pounds shcmld be given to each of these three parties.

23. The results of their labors have proved of such incalculable advantage to this community, that your Committee consider ic is due for the honor of the Colony, to mark in a substantial manner the grateful sense which their fellow Colonists entertain of the value of their achievement<::.

THURSDAY, 2~D FEBIWARY.

Jlfembers p1·esent:

1\Ir. Grooves in the Chair. l\Ir. ~L Nicholson, l\Ir. W. ~icholson, Mr. Graham, :Mr. Hodgson. ])raft Hcport considered. J~elter fl'om Dr. Bruhn read and taken into consideration. (See Appendix.) ltcsohed :-That this Committee do adjourn to Thursday, the 16th day of February, to hear tLt

evidence of Dr. lkuhn, and such witnesses as he may consider nccess:lrY. · Committee adjourned accordingly. •

THUHSDAY, 16TH PEBIWARY.

~Vembers present:

Mr. Grooves, in the Chair. 1\Ir. W. ~icholson, Mr. l\L Xicholson.

J~etter frJm W. Campbell, ]~sq., read and considered. (Sec Appendix.) Dr. Geor,so H. Bruhn called in and examined.

Committee adjourned to Friday, 17th February, at 12 o'clock.

FRIDAY, 17:rrr FEBRUARY.

No quorum.

11

THURSDAY, 9Tn MARCH.

1lfembe1's present:

Mr. Greeves in the Chair.

)Jr. Hodgson, nfr. Strachan, Mr. J. Graham, 1\Ir. M. Nieholson, Mr. W. Nicholson. 31oved-That in the opinion of this Committee it is desirable that the sum of £10,000 should

be appropriated as a reward for the discoverers of Gold. Olii·. W. Nicholson.)-Carriecl. ~loved-That this amount should be apportioned in the following manner:­

E. H. Hargreavcs, Esq., Hev. W. B. Clarke Mr. L. J. Michel l\Ir. HiEcock ·w. Camp bell, Esq .... Dr. ]huhn ?.Jr. Esmonds

(M1·. W: Nicholson.)

£4000 1000 1500 1500 1000

500 500

_\mendment thereon-'fhat the amount should be apportioned as E. H. Hargrcaves, E~q.

follows:-

llev. W. B. Clarke Mr. Esmonds Mr. l\Iichel W. Camp bell, Esq .... ::llr. Hiscock

(Jh·. Straclwn.) Question put on amendment of Mr. Strachan.

Aye, 1. 1\Ir. Strachan.

Committee divided.

Original motion 1mt and carried. lJmft B.cport considered an(l read, paragraph by paragraph. Pan:graph 1 put and carried.

Noes, 4. Mr. Hodgson, Mr. W. Nicholson, Mr. M. Nicholson, Mr. Graham.

£5000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000

l~aragraph 2 hal'inO' been moved-~;\mendmcut tl1ereon-'l'hat the following be inserted in lieu of paragraph 2

"In dealing with this subject, your Committee cannot but draw some distinction lJE:otwecn scicutific and practical discovery; for, although the former would, in reality, han~ lJecn cq ually as beneficial as the latter, had the Colonists been as ready to trust to thl' Geicutilic theory of the scholar as they were to the t'Lngiblc demonstrations of the actual digger; yet seeing what has been the result of the Rev. W. B. Clarke's discovery in 18-!l, us compared with that of l\lr. Hargreavcs in 1851, your Committee feel called.,upon tu recommend a more substantial reward to the one than they can do to the other. At the ~amc time they admit the higher claim to honor and public consideration that the scientific explorer Jlosscsscs. It appears from the evidence given Ly the Rev. \V. B. Clarke before the Select Committee of the JJegislative Council of New South \Vales, that so far back as 1841, he discovered gold in the mountainous country to the west uf the vale of Clwyd, that in 1843 he spoke to many persons of the abundance of gold likely to be found in Australia, that in 1844 he exhibited a sample of gold in quartz to the then Governor, the late Sir Gem·gc Gipps, to the late :Mr. Hobinson, then .l\I.L.O. for Port Phillip, l\Ir. Justice Thcrry, and several other persons, lmt that the subject was not followed up, 'us much from considerations of the penal character of the Colony, as from the general ignorance of the value of such an indication.' From this it appears that the Hcv. \V. ll. Clarke did all in his power to make his discovery serviceable to a country not then in a position to make that discovery available; and your Committee therefore feel bound to recognize his claim to be considered the first discoverer of Gold in Australia. 'fhe changed condition of the sister Colony, when Mr. Hargreaves washed the first gold on the Summer Hill Creek, aided by the knowledge of the mode of proceeding necessary to obtain the precious metals, acquired in California, put the discovery of l\Ir. Hargreaves on a far more advantageous footing than that of Mr. Clarke, which, owing its origin to scientific research and analogical reasoning, could not be expected to make so strong an impression upon the public mind as the palpable, practical and easily understood demon­strations of the former gentlemen." (Mr. M. Nicholson)-Carriod.

l)aragraph 3 put and carried. Paragraph 4 having been moved-

Amendment thereon-That all the words following the word u localities" be omitted.-Carried.

Paragraph 4, as amended, put and carried. Paragraph 5 put and carried, and ordered to stand as paragraph 6. Paragraph G having been moved-

Amendment thereon-That the word "discovered," in the 3rd line1 be omitted, and the word" obtained" insertc,d in its place.-Carried.

12

Paragraph 6, as amended, put and carried, and ordered, with paragraph i, to stand as paragraph 7. Paragraph 7 put and carried, and joined to paragraph 6, Paragraph 8 h:-tving been moved-

Amendment thereon-That all the words following the word "run," in the 5th line, clown to the word" on," in the 7th line, be omitted.-Oarried.

Further amendment-That the following words be inserted before the word "on," in the 7th line :-"Observing the migration of the popul:-ttiou to New South Wales, and the panic created throughout the whole Colony, and especially in Melbourne." -Carried.

iUO\·ed-That all the word.s of paragraph 8, from the words" it appenrs," down to the words " of gold," should stand as pu.rngruph 5.-Carried.

Further amendment-That the words" it was not until," in the 11th line, be omitted, and the words "on the" inserted in their place.-Carried.

:Mon:rl-'I.'hnt the words from ''on the," just inserted, down to the words "Gold Committee" should stand as paragraph 8.-Carried.

Further amcnclment-'fhat all the words from u It results," in the 15th line, rlown to the words" the precise," in the 17th line, should be omittcd.-Carried.

Further amend-ment-That after the word" locality," in the 17th line, the following worrls he inserted-" was not, however, made known by l\Ir. Esmonds." -Curried.

Further amendment-That the word" whilst" be inserted before the word" l\lr." in the 17th line.- Carried.

Further amendment-That the words" same day" be omitted, and the word "fifth" be inserted in their place.-Carricd.

Further amendment-That in the 19th line, the words "did not make" be omitted, and the words " previous to making" be inserted in their place, and the word "until" be omittod.-Carricd.

Fmther amendment-That the words "first public discoverers" be omitted in the 21st line and the words " the lint publishers of the discovery " be inserted ID their place.-Carried.

Moved-That from the words "the precise locality," down to the end of the paragraph, stand as

paragraph 9.-Carricd. Paragraphs from IJ to lG inclusive-put and carried. Paragraphs 13 and 14 being joined to form

paragraph 14. Paragraph 17 having been moved.

_imendmcnt thereon-That the words "that he discover<pd" in the second line, be omit tell; that the word "probable" be substituted for "possible;" and the word "for" for "and" in the seventh linc.-Carried.

Paragraph 18-put and carried. Paragraph 19 having been moved.

Amendment thereon-'l'hat all the words after the word "that" in the third line down t() the word " should" in the fourth line be omitted; and the words "the sum of £4000" be inserted in their place.-Carried.

Further amendment-That after the word "Hargreaves" the following words be added-"Thcy also recommend that the sum of £1000 be awarded to the Rev. W. B. Clarke in appre­ciation of his researches into the mineral wealth of the eo11ntry." -Carried.

Committee adjourned to Friday, lOth l'tfarch, at two o'clock.

FRIDAY, lOTH l\IARCH. j!Jembe1'8 p1·esent :

Mr. Greeves in the Chair. l\Jr. Graham, Mr. Hodgson, l\Ir. W. Nicholson, Mr. M. Nicholson. :Moved-That the following paragraph be inserted between paragraph 7 and 8 :-

"Dr. George H. Bruhn, a German physician, in the month of January, 185 l, before IIIr. Hargrcaves' discovery at Summerhill) started from :Melbourne to explore the mineral resources of this Colony. During his lengthened tour he found in April indica­tions of gold in quartz about two miles from Mr. Parker's station, and, on arriving at l\fr. Cameron's station, was shown by that gentleman specimens of gold at what are now called the Clunes Diggings. This information he promulgated tbrouj;h the country in the course of his journey and communicated to Mr .• Jamcs Eomonds, at that time engaged in erecting a· b:1ilding at ~fr. J ames Hodgkinson's station. Dr. Brulm forwarded specimens which were received by the Gold Discovery Committee on the 30th June."-Carried.

Moved-That paragraphs 20, 21, 22, and 23, of Draft Report be omitted, a.nd the following inserted in their place:-

"With reference to the discovery of the Victorian Gold Fields your Committee consider that the honor must be shared amongst all the parties already enumerated."

"It will be seen that; on the lOth J unc, Mr. Camp bell communicated the general fact of his having discovered gold in the Pyrenees District to Mr. Graham, but that it was not till the 5th July that this fact, together with the exact locality, was made known by the former, in a letter of that date addressed to the latter. On the same day (5th July) 1\Ir. :Michel actually showed the locality of his discovery to Dr. Richmond, as a member of the Gold Discovery Committee. The Clunes disco;ery was also made known at Goelong

1" u

J,y :IIr. Kmwutls on the same day, and the information of it was generally Lcdl'u~c·ct by Ur. Hrul111, iu hi~ tour through the interior."

" l\lr. lliscock's discovery, though laler in date, was of 60 superior a value, ;,iJH;J iL ttt nuco led to the rm·ealing the treasures of Ballaarat and lurniug the tide uf p;,pnhr migration to our own borders, that your Committee consider him entitled to be placed iu the foremost rank of our gold diseoverers."

"Your Committee therefore recommeml that to :IIr. Michel and his party, as having at considerable expense suceeeclcd in discovering auol pnblishiug an available Gold Field, the sum of £1000 should be given ; to Jilr. Hiscock, as the substantial discoverer of the Ballaarat deposits, a like i:iUJU of £1000; to 1\Ir. Campbcll, as without doubt the original discoyerer of the Clunes, a like smn of £1000; to .M:r. Bsmonds, as the first actual producer of alluvial gold for th:J market, a like sum of £LOOO; and to Dr. Bruhn, as an acknowledgment of his ;;crvice:-: in exploring the country for five or six months and diffusing the information of the discovery of gold, the sum of £500."

" In clo,;;ing their Heport your Committee vmuld observe that their sittings have been protracted to an unusual length, through their anxiety to examine thoroughly a very complicated subject, involving many conflicting claims, by means of evidence difficult of access .and frequently of an imperfect character. They have been solicitous also not only to do justice to the rh·al pretensions of claimants, but to form an accurate record of this interesting portion of the hir:;tory of Victoria.

"The discovery of the Victorian Gold Fields has converted a remote dependency into a country of world-wide fame; it has attracted a population, extraordinary in number, with unprecedented rapidity; it has enhanced the value of property to an enormous extent; it has made this the richest country in the world; and, in less than three years, it has done for this Colony the work of an age, and made its impulses felt in the mo~t dislant regions of the earth."-Carried.

Report as amended read and.adopted. Committee adjourned.

D.-Ko. 17, d

:MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

THURSDAY, 3RD NOVEMBER, 1853.

MEMBERS PRESENT :-l\fr. Greeves, in the Chair; :.\Ir. M. Nicholson, l\Ir. Hodgson, Mr. Graham,

Mr. W. Nicholson, and Mr. Strachan.

)Ir. Louis John Michcl called in and examined.

1. By the Chairman. You are a licensed victualler, resident at 'Villiamstown ?-I am. Mr. L._.T. !lich•J.

2. You state in your petition that on the 26th July, you laid a specimen of gold before 3rd ~~~~~nhcr, the Committee appointed by a public meeting, to reward the first discoverer of gold in Victoria?-Yes.

3. Was that the time when you first started in search of gold ?-No; I had been for two or three months previously engaged in the search; and the sample alluded to waa brought down by me on the 16th July.

4. And two months previously to this you ha:l set out in search of gold ?-Yes. 5. When you brought it down, you showed it first, I believe, to me ?-I did, and you tested

it. 6. What was done with that sample ?-We delivered it either to Mr. Nicholson, the then

.Mayor, or to one of the members of the Committee. i. How can you satisfy the Committee that the gold v.as brought from the spot you state f

-In this way. On the following day, I took a number of persons with me out to the spot. There was 1\Ir. Fen wick, :Mr. 'Valsh, l\1r. Hail, Mr. Reedy, and about a dozen others. On arriving, there, some of these gentlemen washed for themselvc3, and I lent them dishes and tools to do so, and they all got some gold for t!1emselves.

8. The spot you showed them, was where you bad previously got tl1e sample you brought to Melbourne ?-Y cs, I took them to the hole out of which I had washed the gold.

9. How many persons were on the creek ?-At the time Ballaarat was discovered, there were about 400 there.

10. 'l'hc first licenses were issued for that locality ?-Yes. 11. When wac; this ?-In the month of August. 12. How long before you brought it down to l\lelbournedid you obtain the gold ?-About

three day,:;. . 13. That gold field is not being worked now ?-No; the superior yield of other fields has

drawn tl1e parties away; but until very lately there wore some two or three persons working there.

14. By 11[1•. IIodgson. Do you know bow many licenses were granted for that locality? -I do not. After the place had been reported to the Government, I called the men together and asked tlJCm what they could afford to pay for permission to dig, and they all consented to pay 10s. a month; but the Govemment demanded 30.s., and just then the Ballaamt diggings were discovered, and the parties gradually left.

15. What quantity of gold was it thn.t you discovered in that locality ?-The honorable Chairman weighed it at the time, but I forget the quantity. It was something un?er an ounce.

16. What became of the gold procured by the gentlemen who went out w1th you ?-1\'Ir. Fcnwiek collected it and brought it down to }Ielbourne for His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor.

17. By J1fr. ilf . .Nieholson. The 16th July wag the day on which you made the report of the discovery ? -Yes.

18. Did you make no report on the subject to the Government ?-Yes. I saw His Excel­lency, by apJlointment, sometime prior to the 16th July, and showed him a specimen of gold tl1at I had obtained from some quartz.

19. B.!J tlw Clwinuan. Was that before you saw me ?-Yes. 20. How long before ?-Some t\vo or three weeks. 21. Where was this obtained from ?-From the same locality, but in a different, spot. 2:3. By Jb·. TV. .1Y:iclwlson. How did you come to wait upon His Excellency ?-I

addressed a letter to him, stating that I had succeeded in discovering gold, and requesting an interview; and I received a reply making an appointment to wait on His Excellency.

23. Was that previous to your coming to me as Chairman of the Gold Reward Committee? -Yes.

24. In that letter to the Governor, did you report the existence of gold in Victoria?­Yes; and stated my willingness to point out the spot to any official His Excellency might depute, as well as to give every information in my power to the Government. 'fhat letter was signed by myself and the other parties who had accompanied me.

Dt'COVEnY oF GoLD.-a.

2

~Ir. L. J. Miehel, 25. What did His Excellency say to you at the interview ?-He did not seem to think llr~~~~:::t'er, much of the discovery, because I had got the gold from breaking quartz.

1853. 2G. Bg the Ohai1"nwn. ·would you wish to make any statement to the Committee in furtherance of your claim ?-No. All the facts are before the Cummittee, and I would only add that, sinee I made the discovery, I have been over the whole of the Gold ]<'iclds of the Colony, and I bdieve that with the experience we now have, plenty of gold may be procured from the spot I first pointed out.

1\'Ir. William Habberlin called in and examined.

::llr.W.Habberlin, 27. By the Chairman. Xrd ~~~~~ber, gold ?-I did.

You accompanied lllr. ~Iichel in his expeditions in search of

;\Ir. T. EMier, 8rd Novembel',

1853.

28. Do you remember the date upon which your search was first crowned with success?-We brought gold into Melbourne on the 16th July.

29. Was that the first gold you got ?-Yes. 30. Where was it procured ?-At Anderson's Creek, on Major Newman's run. 31. Did you afterwards show that spot to any persons ?-Yes; we took 1\'Ir. Fenwick, the

Commissioner of Crown Land, and a number of gentlemen of the Gold Reward Committee and others out with us. About forty persons went out there on the occasion.

32. Did any of these get gold?-Yes, all who washed for it did so. 33. Did you get any gold before that ?-Yes, we got some about tl1at neighbourhood, from

the quartz. This was some t.ime in May, but the quantity was nothing of any consequence. We had brought small quantities to Melbourne several times before this, but the sample handed to the Gold Reward Reward Committtee was the only one we got tested.

34. You were for many weeks prosecuting the search for gold ?-Yes; we were out many times about tl10sc ranges. I have taken gold at the Jumping Creek, and also at the Deep Creek, as well a~ about all the ranges at the head of the Yarra. The whole of that country has, from what I have seen elsewhere, strong indications of being a gold country.

3.). Did you sign any letter to the Government reporting the discovery of gold ?-There was a report made to tl1e Governor on some gold that we brought in.

36. Did you sign it ?-I cannot remember. 37. By Jlf1•. Q,·aham. You are positive that it was on the 16th July that you brought

in the gold ?-Yes. It was on a Saturday, and I was so confident about reaping a good harvest there, that on the following day, Sunday, I made a cradle~ a long Tom, to take out the next day.

38. Were you present at the interview with His Excellency ?-No. Some persons went up with l\Ir. Miehel, but I was not one of them.

39. By the Chairman. Would you wish to make any further remark ?-I would mention that there are now, or there were till very lately, parties at work at the spot we discovered. The place never had a fair chance, for nobody then undexstood gold digging, and all that was done was mere surface working, and this was confined to the bed of the Creek, none of the ranges having been touched. Besides this not one of the holes was bottomed, and yet with all this I have seen gold as large as a bean taken out of some holes. I feel convinced, that if the spot were properly worked, it would turn out as profitable as any of the other Gold Fields of the Colony.

Mr. Thomas Easter called in and examined.

40. By the Clwirman. Do you remember the date on which you first discovered gold?­It was early in September, 1B51.

41. What did you do with it ?-I brought it to Melbourne and sold it to Mr. Hood. 42. Do you not remember the exact date ?-I cannot say as to the day of the month, but

it was early in September. 43. How long after you discovered it did you bring it down ?-Just a few days. 44. How long had you been engaged in the search ?-We left in August, when the

discovery was made at Buninyong; and at llallaarat we found the gold. 45. Were there any other parties there at the time ?-There were, but they were not

working. 46. What were they doing ?--.Just walking about, prospecting. 47. Did you make your discovery known ?-Yes. 48. And previous to that the ground was not being worked ?-No. 49. Is there anything else of which you would wish to inform the Committee ?-No,

except that I showed the gold to the Governor. 50. Did you write to obtain an interview ?-No, we just went up with it to Government

House. 51. At what part of Ballaarat was it that you made the discovery ?-At Golden Point.

Now, I remember, I think it was the 13th September that I sold the gold to Mr. Hood, who gave me a cheque on the bank for the money. The cheque was on the bank of Australasia for £19, and I also sold some specimens for £12. .

52. By .~1·. Graham. How long previou:5 to selling the gold had you made the discovery ? -We bad been finding small portions of gold for six or seven days, and then we went to work at the Golden Point. On the third day of our working there, we took out a stone that some gentle­men who were passing offered ns £200 for.

53. Have you anything further to f\tate ?-No.

3

Mr. Henry Griffiths called in and examined.

54. BJ the Chairman. at Ballaarat ?-I was.

You were with lYir. Easter when he made the discovery of gold Mr. H. Griffiths, 3rd November,

55. When did you first find the gold ?-It was in September, but 1 cannot say to the day of the nunth. We were at Buniuyong, but did not find the gold in sufficient quantity to pay us, so we started off prospecting. We went a distance of seven or eight miles, and tried every place that we thought likely, and every spot where we dug we found some specks of gold. We then found gold at the Black Hill, and were at work there several days; but others came there and all then shifted over to Ballaarat, and pitched upon the Golden Point. We shifted because others were doing so much better than us; and we were told that the people at the hill below were doing very well.

56. How long a time elapsed between your first finding the gold and bringing it to Melbourne ?-Between eighteen and twenty days.

57. What did you do with it?-We sold it to :!\Ir. Hood, who recollects the cirr.umstance perfectly well. We arrived in Williamstown on the 18th September, and sold the gold on the following day.

[J8. Did you show the gold to any other person besides Mr. Hood on that day?-Yes; to Mr. Nicholson, who w~s Mayor of Melbourne, and to Mr. Bain; and we were advised to show some specimens we had to the Governor.

59. B.'! llfr. Strachan. You arrived at Williamstown on the 18th ?-Yes. 60. And reached Melbourne on the 19th ?-Yes. £1. BJ the Chairman. Do you wish to add anything to your statement ?-No; only

that we were at a great outlay in making the discovery, and all our meaus were exhaused; but we started with the view of finding gold, and were determined to persevere. When we were at the Golden Point there was never a soul near us for days after we came there. We had not a bit to eat for two days, and there was nobody to get anything from.

FRIDAY, 4TH NOVEMBER, 1853.

ME~IBERS PRESENT :-Mr. Greeves, in the Chair; JYir. Graham, and lYir. Hodgson.

Captain lYicLachlan calJed in and examined.

62. BJ the Clwir1nan.-Where do you reside ?-At Glen Gowrie. 63. Is that near the Clunes Diggings ?-Yes. 64. What was the first information you bad of the discovery of gold ?-1\h. Campbell

happened to be at J\Ir. Cameron's with me, and as we were walking past a vein of quartz, Mr. Campbell pointed to it and remarked that if there was gold in the Colony it would be found there.

65. In what year was this ?-In 1849. G6. So far back as that ?-Yes. 67. When was it you first heard positively of the discovery ?-Soon after the intelligence

reached us of the discovery of gold in Sydney, I understood that 1\Ir. Campbell bad made a discovery of gold at the Clunes. As near as I can recollect this was in ]\larch, 1850.

68. Do you know where this gold was found ?-Yes; it was in the spot where Mr. Campbell had previously indicated, and I found some there myself. I went there on the receipt of the intelligence in company with 1\Iessrs. Wright and Armstrong.

69. Was it in consequence of the discovery of the nugget in that neighbourhood some time back that Mr. Campl:ell was led to believe in the existence of gold there ?-No; the subject was brought up by our talking of California, and we were then speculating on the probability of gold being found here. After the discovery had been made we had some talk about whether we should make it known, as it was in the very heart of Mr. Cameron's run, and we all thought it better to say nothing about it. However, the parties to the secret could not keep it, and we thought that the first notice of it to the Government ought to come from Mr. Cameron, on whose run it was, and we advised him to write to the Government on the subject. I went with Mr. Campbell, and he showed me the place where he had got the gold, and I saw him then pick up several specimens from amongst the quartz. The soil seemed exceedingly rich ; even the gravel in front of the house was found to be full of gold.

70. When was this ?-In March 1850. 71. When did you advise that the secret should be made public?-When it became known.

It was for some time kept a secret amongst us, but some how it got wind, and when the people came there to dig, I told Mr. Cameron that he had better report it.

72. Are you aware of the date of the report ?-I cannot say. But Dr. Bruhn got a piece of gold and made a report of it just before then.

73. You do not know when that was?-No, but I believe that it was 1\Ir. Cameron who took him to the spot. We all of us about there knew that it was no discovery that Mr. Bruhn had made.

74. Bg Mr. G1·aham.-Were you not with JYir. Campbell when he first found the gold? -No, but shortly afterwards I went with him to the spot and saw him pick up some.

75. Were there parties at work there after it became pnblicly known ?-Yes.

1853.

Capt. McLacJJlan, 4:th November.

1853.

Cnpt. I\-lcl.achlan, contin:ucd,

tth November, 1853.

\L H. \\~rigllt,

R"•lt 4rh Sovembe1·,

Jllf>:l.

4

76. And they were doing well ?-Some of them. 77. Police and Commissionets were stationed there?-Yes. 78. By the Chairman. Were they issuing licenses ?-I am not sure about that. 70. How many persons were at work then ?-There seemed to me about a hundred;

sometimes m ore, sometimes less. 80. A hundred was about the average number ?-Yes, until Ballaarat was discovered. 81. Are you aware when Mr. Campbdl made a report of the Clunes Diggings ?-I am not

from memory. Si. Were these Diggings on Crown J~and ?-They were. So. But they are not so now ?-::-<o, the land has since been purchased. 84. Are there any restrictions by which the working of the Clunes Diggings was

prevented ?-I am not aware of any. There was nothing to prevent parties from washing for gold any where on Crown J,ands, and ~hen the diggers first came about :\lr. Cameron's they seemed as if about to uproot his house and garden, and I rode over to l\Ir. Sturt and to Mr. Dana and saw them upon the matter, and l\lr. B<~gster rode back with me, and we found that the miners had begun to dig close to the house. There was then a restriction put on, forbidding men to dig within a certain distance of a homestead. This distance was at first made two miles, but it was afterwards decreased to half a mile.

85. By JJ{r. Graham. Was the place where the gold was discm·ered within a half mile of 1\Ir. C,lmeron's house ?-It was.

86. Then this spot would be exempt~d from being worked ?-Yes. 87. By the Clwil·nwn. 'l'he general Diggings were within the half mile ?-Yes. 88. By ilb·. llodr;son. Were there not also Diggings in the immediat~ vicinity ?-No;

they were all in the one Hpot. 89. By tlte Chainnan. How far arc the Clunes from Ballaarat ?-Between EJighteen and

twentv miles. " 90. By a practicable line of road ?-Yes

91. Can you say about how far the spot was from Mr. Cameron's house ?-Something short of a half mile.

92. B'l illr. Gralwm. How long after the discovery of the Clunes was it that the dis­eovery at Ballaarat became publicly known ?-'l'he men generally had been at work about three weeks, though there was one man who had been at work long before that; the great bulk of them had been about three weeks.

William Henry Wright, Esq., called in and examined.

03. B.'l the Chai1•man. You are Chief Commissioner of the Gold Fields ?-1 am. 94. Will you state what you know of the discovery of gold at the Clune's Diggings by

.Mr. Campbell ?-I may state in the first place, that being at that time unconnected with the Gold Fields, the information that came to me was not official, but only received privately. I knew, and it was well known generally by the settlers in that district, that gol4 existed there. I did not know the locality, but I understood that Mr. Campbell did, and that he was the original discoverer. To what extent gold existed there, was also unknown to me. On the first working of that Gold Field I was in :Melbourne, and being about to return to my district, and as the Clunes would be on my way home, His Excellency requested me to visit them, and to report upon them. I went there, and found about a hundred persons at work.

95. At what date was this ?-In August, 1851. They had, however, been worked previous to this, and what made His Excellency wish for my report was, that the most exaggerated accounts had reached Melbourne respecting them. H was about the 25th that the matter was mooted to me, and I left Melbourne on the 30t,h August. I had heard officially, as Commissioner of Crown Lands for that district, of the existence of the Diggings only a few days previouHly.

9G. You then visited them ? - Y cs, I found about one hundred persons at work. I wrote a report to His Bxcellency that the men were making about five shillings a day on an average, though some were getting ten shillings a day, and some had procured half an ounce.

97. At that time these were good wages?-Ycs, and I stated so in my report; but that the yield was not so great as to induee a rush to the spot. There was a vein of quartz that seemed to be full of gold. I assisted to break down one mass of it, and in almost every portion broken off there was gold to be found, though in some it was not perceptible to the naked eye. I got some some very hands.::.me specimens from this mn~s. This vein was said by many who had been in California to lJc umch richer tlwn any that are worked there. Before this Dr. Bruhn had been round there, and had been shown thb vein as one that was known to contain gold, and he at once pronounced it a golJ lJC[tring quartz vein. I attach something to his opinion, as he has shown me several sr>ots as phces likely to tum out auriferous, and they have all tnrued out to be rieh Gold Fields.

98. Can you us nn idea vf the precise time that the licenses were issued there ?-I thought that for the as8ertion of a prineipb the license ought to be demanded, and considered that one shilling a day or thirty shillings a month couhl be easily paid. The ;mbject wns discussed, and a 1\Ir. Hart, who was very :;;tirring in the matter, strongly opposed the issue of a license or the impoaition of a fee at that juncture. lHy opinion was, that the men could afford ·to pay it and that on principle it was the duty of tl1e Govrrnment to demand it. Before any decision was finally come to, the Buninyong diggings were discovered, and these drew off all the men from the Cluncs.

99. By J.llr. llodgson. Could you fix the exrrct date of your visit to report upon the

Cluncil ?-I could. by a reference to memoranda in my possession. After going up to my station, and making my report, I again came to town, and I there met one of my men who had come down from Buninyong, where he had been with Hiscock and his party. This man had been to 0<1li­fornia for a year or two, and hearing that the Clunes was a likely place, he applied the practical knowledge he had acquired in California to working in that locality, and he proved and assured me of the fact, that gold could be got in sufficient quantity to pay for working it.

100. Could you say when it was that he was at work ?-From what I can remember, he must have been at work for about a. fortnight before I went up to report, or about the lOth or 12th August.

101. Byllft•. Gl'rtham. Was that your first visit to the Clunes ?-Yes. 102. How far is the spot that were shown from Mr. Cameron's house ?-About half a

mile. The vein of quartz crosses the just a little below his house. 103. Were licenses issued there ?-I do not think so. 104. You cannot speak certainly but I do not think any were issued. 105. Do you know if a.ny arrangements were made to get the licenses ?-Yes, I know that

it was proposed to issue them. The view I took of my being requested to go there and repo·t was, that it was to sec if the men could or could not afford to pay the fee.

106. By tl.e Chairman. You considered your commission then to be, to see whether the diggings were of sufficient richness to authorise the imposition of a fee ?-Yes.

107. And you reported them to be so ? -Yes. 108. You were also very strongly in favor of the Government exacting the fee ?-I was. 109. You eont<idered the prospect of success sufficient to induce persons to pay ?-Yes.

Mr. Jamcs Began called in and examined.

110. By t!Hl Chairman. You have petitioned the Council relative to a claim for the discovery of ~old ?-I have.

111. You had a party associated with you named John Dunlop ?-Yes. 112. Do you know a person named Brownbill ?-No, but I knew a man named Brown,

who had a ],}&rty at Ballaarat. 113. No person named Brown bill was associated with you ?-No. There were only two

of us in the party, Dunlop and I. 114. Where did you first find gold and when?-We first found it at Ballaarat in several

places, in the ranges and gullies, and afterwards at Golden Point. We discovered it there. 115. At what date was thi~ ?-I cannot tell the date. .My partner has it down.

all. 116. Do you know in what month ?-Ko, but my partner does. He kept an account of it

.Mr. John Dunlop called in and examined.

117.1fBJ the Chuil'lnan. You formed one of a party with Began to dig for gold?-Yes. 118. Do you remember in what month this was ?-It was at the latter end of

We left Corio on the 9th to make a start. 119. '\Vhen did you first find gold ?-Between the 20th and 24th August. 120. Where ?-At Ballaarat and at Poverty Point. 121. Did you find it at Golden Point ?-Yes. We tried first opposite Mr. Yuille's station,

next at Ballaamt. We found gold at both these places, but not so much as at Poverty Point. 122. How much did you find at Yuille's ?-:-Twelve or thirteen specks only. We were at

Buninyong, at t,he hill where Hiscock found the gold, but as we could not make out enough to live by there, we agreed to go on to the Pyrenees.

128. The people then were leaving Buninyong ?-Yes. 124. Did you go with them ?-No. Began and me went over to Ballaarat. 125. When you first went were there any other persons there not working ?-No, not a

soul, nor ever had been. 126. Was Hiscock there ?-No. Hiscock never came there un~il after we had been for

some time at work. 127. Are you sure that it was in August that you left Geelong ?-Yes. There are some

settlements and writings made at that time that make me sure about it. I left an Agent in Gcelong to draw some rents for me1 and it is from a paper that was signed between us that I know the date particularly.

128. Do you know what time you left Buninyong ?-Between the 20th and the 24th August.

129. How long were you at Buninyong ?-About fourteen days. 130. What did you do with the first gold that you found ?-There was five of ns in the

party, and there was such a small quantity, that we put it into two lots and tossed up for it. This was at Buninyong.

131. When did you make the first sale of Ballaarat gold ?-The first was at Golden Point, to Mr. Patterson; but before that, I had sent some down to Melbourne, by Mr. Veitch.

132. Do you remember Connor's party ?-Yes; I was on the diggings when he came up. We had found the gold about six days before Connor came there. I have proof to show that when we left Buninyong, I left a small chest belonging to Regan for Connor's party to fetch on in their horse and cart, as we had none. It took me six days to carry our things over from Buninyong to Ballaarat.

DiscovERY oF GoLD.-a.

1\!r. ltegan 4th Novcm:·pr

1~53. •

Ur. J. Dunlop, 4th Xon~mher,

1853.

Mt• .• T. Dunlop, continued,

4th November, 1853.

6

133. Who discovered the Buninyong Diggings !-Iliscock; there is no doubt about that. 134. You claim then for Ballaarat only ?-Yrs. 135. 'Vhen you arrived you arc sure there was no one there ?-No ; there was no sign of

anv one, only a few old huts belonging to the natives. " 13G. How long before the statement of your discovery appeared in the Geelong Advertise1·

was is that you had reached Geelong from Ballaarat ?-About three or four dayB. .Mr. Clarke, the reporter for that paper, saw us there; he had been at Yuille's station, and coming across the country found us at work.

Mr. Regan, 4th November,

1853.

Mr. W. Patteson,

lOth November, 1853.

137. Then your partner must have made some mistake when he states in his petition that he left Geelong in September ?-He must.

Mr. Regan called in and further examined.

138. By Mr. G1•aham. In your petition you state that you left Geclong in the month of September; are you certain that is the case ?-Yes. I had a party of five made up at the time to go to the Pyrenees. We were told on the road that there was gold at Buninyong, so we went there.

139. How long did it take you to go there ?-About four or five days. When we came to Buninyong we stopped there for fourteen days; at the end of the fortnight we found that the gold was not in sufficient quantity to pay us, and as several other parties were selling off and going away our party also broke up, and we put the gold into two parcels and tossed up for it. I won one parcel, but it was very small and only fetched 5s. when I sold it. ·when the others were gone, I said to Dunlop that it would be a bad job for us to go back no better off than when we left, after raising all the money we could to fit us out; and asked him to remain and mind the tent whilst I went through the country to the Pyrenees to see what was doing. I went to the Pyrenees and saw l\lr. Esmond and his party and asked them how they were doing. He said very badly, and that they were nearly starving. I remained there four days to see how they were working, and then came back through the country until I came to Ballaarat. I tried there and got gold, and then I went off straight to my mate and told him, and the next morning we started off with a spade and a tin dish and tried for gold and got it; on that occasion we go! about three quarters of an ounce each.

140. Did you see Mr. Clarke, of the Geelong .Advertiser, whilst you were at work?­Yes, about a week after; he and another gentleman were riding through the bush and saw me.

141. Were there people at work at Golden Point when Mr. Clarke saw you?-Not one. 142. In the Geelong .Advertiser of the 4th September there appears a paragraph stating

that you had discovered gold, so that if you say that you left Geelong only in the early part of September, must you not be making some mistake in the month ?-If that account appears at that date, I must have done so.

THURSDAY, lOTH NOVEMBER, 1853.

:MEMBERS PRESENT :-Mr. Greeves, in the Chair; Mr. Hodgson, Mr. M. Nicholson, lHr.

Strachan and Mr. Graham.

Mr. William Patteson called in and examined.

143. B.Y the Chairman. What are you ?-I am a gold broker. 144. Where do you reside ?-At Geelong. 145. By .1.Wr. Strachan. How long have you been a resident of Geelong ?-Five years. 146. Do you remember the discovery of gold in this Colony ?-I do. 147. At what date was that ?-On the 4th or 5th July, 1851, I had the first sample of

Victorian gold first Jllit into my hands. 148. Are you sure that was the first ?-It was the first made known. 149. Who communicated that discovery to you ?-Esmonds. 150. When were you made acquainted with it ?-On the 5th July I think it was; he

came to me and told me that he had succeeded in finding gold in the Colony. 151. Did he show you on that occasion the gold he had procured ?-He did.

. . 152. Had your attention been directed to the discovery of gold previous to that date ?­Not to the discovery in this District. There was nothing known about any discoveric8 but those at Bathurst. · , 15

73. J!ad you heard of any other discovery of gold in the Colony prior to that of

Esmonds . -No. . 154. H~d you previously seen and tested what was said to be gold ?-I had. 155. D1d you ever see any gold the produce of Victoria prior to that given you by

~~smonds ?-No. 156. Did he inform you where he had found that gold ?-He did. 157. Where was the locality ?-At the Pyrenees. 158. He told you also, I believe, that he iniended to fit out a party to prosecute the

11earch ?-Ye~. 159. Did he do 100 ?-He did.

7

160. He returned to the locality with his party and afterwards sent you down gold from there ?-Yes. In about ten days after shewing me the samples he left Geelong for the Pyrenees. He went to Melbourne and got a cradle made, and fitted out a party at an expense of about £60. Ho started about the 16th July.

161. Was there any public announcement making known his discovery ?_:_On the day following it was made public in the columns of the Gee long .Advertise1•. Esmonds told me the particulars on Saturday the 5th July, and they were published in the paper of the 7th.

162. Can you produce a copy of that paper ?-I can, and beg to lay it before the Committee. (Newspaper produced.)

163. Can you state to the Committee the precise date at which you received the gold from Esmonds ?-About the 12th August, or some time in the beginning of that month, some samples were sent me down with intelligence that he was prospecting iu the vicinity of Buninyong.

164. Did he state in what locality ?-He did not. 165. He was the first to shew you the gold and to fit out a digging party ?-There can be

no mistake about that. It was in the beginning of August I think, now I remember, about the 2nd or 3rd, that gold, the produce of his party's work was sent down to me.

166. When did that gold reach you ?-Early in August. I have not the precise date, but from other transactions which occurred about that time, I know that it must have been in the first ten days of August. He Eaw me on the 5th July, and started for 1\Ielbourne from Geelong on the 7th; he came to 1\Ielbourne and fitted out a party, and in about ten days after my first seeing him I met him again in Geelong. This was about the 14th, and he then went away on the following day to the Pyrenees.

167. And about the lOth of the following month you received gold from him ?-Yes. 168. By the Chairman. Ditl. you enquire what particular locality the gold had been

found in at the Pyrenees ?-I must have done so, and I think he told me, but not knowing the country, I do not recollect where he said.

169. Did he tell you that he. had found it in any particular locality, or did he merely say that he got it within a certain distance of Geelong ?-Not knowing the different localities at that time, I cannot remember if he did.

170. Did he appear disposed to keep the matter a secret ?-No; he was quite open and communicative about it, and gave me every information. He did not at all wish me to keep the matter private, and I introduced him to 1\Ir. Clarke the reporter to the Geelong .Advertise1·, and he was equally explicit with him.

171. He made no reservations ?-None whatever. 172. He showed you some samples of gold ?-He did. 173. Was it in quartz ?-Some, and some was in grain. 174. How much ?-Only a very small quantity. 175. Did he say he had got it all at the Pyrenees?-Yes, all. 176. Do you recollect how much you received on the 12th August ?-About eight ounces. 177. Had you received gold from any other person prior to this ?-None, except Sydney

and Californian gold; that was the first gold purchased, the produce of Victoria. 178. By JJJJ•. M. Niclwlson. Were you led to believe that he procured the eight ounces

at the same place where he had got the samples previously shown to you ?-I was, and I had every confidence in him. I had letters reporting his progress, every mail day; some of the earlier workers of Ballaarat were waiting in town the result of the discovery, and were besieging my place for intelligence. They had all parties made up ready to go olf to Sydney, but were detained waiting for information from Esmonds. It was through my advice that they did this for I told them of Esmonds's discovery and of the likelihood of there being gold here, and so pressed them to remain until the result of Esmonds's search should be made known. It was on the strength of the information received from Esmonds that these parties went up.

179. By the Clwirman. Were these diggings of Esmonds what are generally known as the Clunes Diggings ?-Yes.

180. By Mr. Grahr;tm. Do you think that the first specimens and grain gold he brought you were procured at the Clunes ?-Yes, I am satisfied they were; and I know that Esmonds was working there.

181. Do you think it possible that you could find those letters you speak of as having been received from Esmonds, announcing his fJrogress ?___.I have made a search but have been unable to lind one. ~Ir. Clarke however recollects the whole particulars perfectly.

182. By 1~fr. Strachan. There was no desire on the part of Esmonds to conceal the dis­covery ?-No. I never saw a man more open; he was particularly communicative, and told me that I might make any use I liked of the information he gave me.

183. B.IJ jfr. Graham. If a number of people was, as you say, besieging your place, it did not seem as if he was very communicative to them ?-These people called every day on the arrival of the mail to see what information I had received from Esmonds, as they were waiting definite accounts.

184. By M1·. Strachan. Do you know Hiscock ?-I do. 185. When did you first see him, on the occasion of the discovery of gold ?-I did not sec

him then; it is only within the last few weeks that I have known him; all that I knew of him before that was from the reports in the Geelong Advertiser.

186. Has he spoken to you of his discoveries ?-Yes; and he says that it was from reading the writings of the Rev. 1\'Ir. Clarke that he was led to make a search for gold in this Colony.

Jlh·. W. Patteson,

continued, lOth Nov•mber,

185J.

Mt • ..!.. clarke, IO!.h N"ovembe1·,

1853.

Air. Alfred Clarke called iu and examined.

187. Bg tl~e Chairman. What is your profession ?-I am connected with the literary department of the Geelong Advertiser. ,

188. By .21:b·. StJ'acltan. When did you first become acquainted with the discovery of gold in Victoria ?-In July, 1851. I saw the gold that was brought in by Esmonds.

189. Did you sec any gold that was afterwards sent down to l\felbourne ?-I did, and a portion of it was in my possession for weeks after.

190. In whose possession did you first see it ?-It was brought to me by Mr. Patteson. 191. Did you shew it to any one ?-Yes; to hundreds. It was, at that time, a matter of

very great importance. It was a sample of gold in quartz, and was the first piece of native gold seen in the Colony of Victoria. I used to carry it about with me to show people.

192. An announcement of the discovery was made in the Geelong paper?-Yes. I saw ~smonds on Sunday and got the particulars from him, and the next day, IHonday, they appeared in the Advertise1•.

193. Did that announcement lead to the discovery of the Pyrenees Gold Field ?-It did. 194. Was the locality stated ?-Not at that time. Esmonds was about to go to :!\felbourne

to fit out a party to work at the Pyrenees, and he desired me not to mention the exact locality until he had fitted out his party and had got a good start on the road.

195. He did tell you then where it was ?-Yes; it was at the Pyrenees, at a place afterwards known as the Clunes Diggings. He wished to get up there and be at work before the thing was made public, and he gave me permission to make the exact locality known after he had been a week away.

196. 'When did you m~1ke it known ?-About a week after the announcement of Esmonds's second departure was made known. It was about the middle of the month, I think the 15th.

197. And this was the Chmes ?-Yes. I knew of the spot a week before the announce· ment of it was made.

198. Do you know when the first gold, the produce 'of his party was sent down ?-It was in the same month. I cannot remember the exact date, but I recolleut the fact of its being sold.

199. Do you know what quantity there was ?-No. There might have been sollle three or four ounces, but in this I speak from memory only.

200. Has any recognition of the claim of Esmonds to the title of the first discoverer of gold in the Colony been made ?-Yes; upwards of £400 have been subscribed for Esmonds and Hiscock, who have been admitted on all hands to be the first discoverers of gold in the Colony.

201. Have you been at the Clunes ?-I was never there. 202. There was no desire fbr concealment on the part of ~smonds ?-No. He told me

everything, and said that all he required was ,to have the first start, and if I gave him a week he would authorise me to publish the locality.

203. Did the announcement in the paper lead others to follow ?-Yes. At one time there was a great number of persons at the Clunes.

204. By Jlr. G1•aha1n. About what time was it that Esmonds fitted out his party ?-It was in the early part of July. The 7th was on a Monday, and on that day he left for Melbourne to get some person there to make a cradle for him. He returned to Geelong about a week afterwards, and then went to the Pyrenees with a person named Pugh, who was in his party. It was, there­fore, about the 15th July that he started, and a week after that I published the particulars of the locality: that would be about the 22nd July.

205. Prior to that did you mention no locality ?-I said that the gold had been found in the .Pyrenees, but that is a wide range.

206. By flfr. ill. Nickolson. You are sure that it was the Clunes Diggings? -Y ci:l, yuitc so. I conversed on the same subject with l\Ir. Wathen, and his remarks induced many others to proceed to that locality.

207. i.Jy the Chai?"nzan. Was Pugh one of }]smonds's party ?-Yes. 208. By 11b·. Strackan. By whom was the announcement of the discovery of the Bunin­

yung field made ?-I have brought with me a transfer of the letter that was written down to 1\Ir. Harrison, of the Geelong Advertisel', on the subject. It is dated the lOth August, 1851.

209. When did you make that public ?-It came down in the Buninyong Mail, which started on Sunday night, and would be delivered on 1\Ionday, so that it would have been known on the 12th. I saw the Gold alluded to in that letter.

210. Did you ever hear Hiscock's claim to this discovery disputed ?-No. 211. Do you coRsider that to be a distinct discovery from that of Esmond's ?-I do. 212. And identical with that of Ballaarat ?-~lost decidedly. The two spot;; arc ou the

same range, only one is on the one side and one on the other. 213. Did you visit those Diggings ?-I did. They were discovered on the 12th, and six

or seven days after that I was there. 214. Do you remember the discovery of Golden Point ?-Yes. 215. Was that the result of Hiscock's discovery ?-Yes. His discovery brought them

tu the spot, and some were induceq to go over the range in the prosecution of their search. 216. By whom was Golden Point discovered ?-It was discovered in this way. The

parties of diggers were spreading out on all sides from Buninyong, and there was a person named Brown on one side of Golden Point, and Dunlop and Regan on the other, but higher up; and between these the claim to the discovery is disputed.

217. Are you aware whether these pcr~ous went up to Ballaarat subser1ucntly to the announcement of the discovery by Hiscoek ?-Yes; they were all at work at his diggings. It was when it was declared that the licen~c fee would be euforced that these parties spread out.

9

218. Whence were the first specimens procured that were sent to Europe ?-They were forwarded by Major Mercer, who bought them of Hiscoek.

219. Where did he get them ?-From the Buninyong diggings. 220. Have you received any testimonial in connection with the Gold discovery ?-Yes.

Not for any discoveries I have made, but for the trouble I took in collecting and publishing the accounts of the first discoveries.

221. Dunlop and Regan state that you saw them at work at Golden Point, do you recollect it ?-I recollect first seeing them at work at Hiscock's diggings.

222. Did you remain any time at the Gold Fields ?-Until the end of the year. 223. When did you go to Golden Point ?-That discovery was made on an early day in

the month of September. I went one day down to Buninyong and missed the diggers, and so I immediately rode round to find out where they had gone to ; I discovered that they had dispersed in all directions. On my way, I passed by the present Golden Point.

224. Was there any one at work there ?-Not a so~l. 225. Did you see Regan and Dunlop there ?-Yes, higher up the creek, at a place now

known as Poverty Point. 226. Where was it that you first saw them ?-At Hi~ock's diggings at Buninyong. 227. And you did not see them afterwards until the beginning of September?-No; this

was at Poverty Point. I found them there afterwards and thinking they were doing something, I went round and told the other diggers of it.

228. How far is Poverty Point from Golden Point ?-From a half to three quarters of a. mile.

229. Were you at Golden Point between the 20th and 25th August ?-I was not. It was about the 1st or 2nd of September that I was there.

230. Were there a number of diggers there then ?-No; the ground was undisturbed. I saw Regan only there, and asked him how he was getting on, but he said he was getting nothing, and I know that he afterwards said that he would as soon have seen the devil coming up ther.e as me, because he was sure that I would send the other diggers after him.

231. You saw him at work there ?-Yes. He and Dunlop first worked Poverty Point, and remained there for some time after Golden Point had been opened.

232. What was the precise date of the announcement of Hiseoek's discovery ?-,-Either the 9th or lOth of August. But specimens had been sent down weeks before, which plainly showed that he had been on the look out for gold for some considerable time previously. I saw him my· self in Fulton's shop about three weeks before the discovery, when he was having some metal that he had with him tested. Ho thought it was gold, but it turned out to be only mundic. I mention this to shew that Hiscock was prosecuting his researches concurrently with those of Esmonds and with the discovery at the Pyrenees.

233. B.v the Ohairman. Have you anything you would wish to add to your statement? -I think not, only, I would wish to impress upon the Committee that the discovery of Ballaarat was nothing but a natural consequence of Hiscock's discovery at Buninyong. The whole of the facts, as far as they have come to my knowledge, have, I think, been laid before the Committee, but should the Committee require any further information, I produce a file of the Geelong .Adve1•tiser to which they may refer.

THURSDAY, 15TII NOVEMBER, 1853.

MEMBERS PRESENT :~Mr. Greeves, in the Chair; Mr. W. Nicholson, Mr. M. Nicholson, and Mr. Strachan.

~Ir. Thomas Hiseock, called in and examined. 234. By the Ohairman. Where do you reside ?-At Buninyong. 235. You claim to be one of the first discoverers of gold in Victoria. ?-I do. 236. By Mr. Strachan. How long have you been a resident at Buninyong ?-Ten years. 237. When did you hear of gold being found in this Colony ?-Between four and five

years ago, in the Pyrenees. 238. Do you know Esmonds ?-Yes. 239. Did you hear of his discovery ?-Yes. 240. Where at ?-At the Pyrenees. 241. How long ago ?-In July, 1851. 242. Did his discovery lead you to make the search ?-No. I was looking for gold long

before-before Esmonds went to California. 243. Did you discover gold in the Buninyong ranges ?-I did. 244. Where, and the date ?-I discovered the first piece of gold on the 8th August, 1851,

and made the discovery known the next day. I tried all round where I had obtained this piece; getting a dish full of earth from e~ch place, and I found gold every where I tried. I sent down the sample I procured to Mr. Harr1son.

245. How long had you been out searching for gold, prior to this discovery ?-I was led to look for it from the rumour of the gold that was discovered in the Pyrenees five years ago, and I have been on the search on and off ever since.

246. Did you send down any specimens of gold to Geelong ?-Yes. I sent some to .Mr. Harrison, and some I sent to Melbourne by ~Ir. Veitch. Mr. Smith, the Chief Constable at Buninyong, also asked me for some specimens to present to Mr. Sturt.

DLSCOVJCRY 01' GOLD.-C.

Mr. A. Clarke, continued,

lOth November, 18>3.

~fr. T. HiEcock, 15th November.,

1653.

!IIr. T. Hi:seock, continlt-cd,

l."ith November, 1853.

10

247. \Vas your discovery the means of drawing the diggers from the Pyrenees ?-Yes. 248. Can you inform the Committee who the first parties were that came upon the ground

after your discovery ?-I cannot answer that, because there were several that came up almost at one time.

24\J. After your discovery ?-Yes. 2~)0. How long ?-Two or three days after. I was with my party at the ground, during

a week only; then I had to return home, as I had several men at work there, and it was necessary for me to look after them.

251. The result of your discovery has been the working of Golden Point, Ballaarat, Brown hill, Eureka, Canadian Gully, and Prince Regent's Gully diggings, has it not?-Yes, and my first dbcovery was as good as any of these. Parties are still working, and doing well in the gully where I found the fi1·st gold, and which has been called Hiscoek's gully.

252. BIJ Jb·. ~~I. Nicholson. What induced you to look after gold ?-I heard that gold had been found at the Pyrenees, and that set me looking for it, but at that time I did not know how to go to work to find it. It turned out too, that I was working on the wrong side of the mountain. Many a time I have gone about on my hands and knees searching the ground for gold. At last I hit on Winter's Flat, and not being able to break the rocks, I took a crowbar with me, and I was not half an hour before I found gold. I then got some specimens, which I brought down with me, and I afterwards tried the earth and got gold with a tin dish. I after­wards went with a party, and we got five ounces of gold besides speeimens, to the \'alue of about £5 a day. There were a very great many specimens on that hilL

253. Were you aware that gold had been found prior to your going out to look for it?­Yes; there was a rumour four or fiye years ago of gold having been found in the Pyrenees, but it was only a rumour. I can bring evidence to prove that I was looking for gold for a long time roast. I sent down very many samples that I procured, so much so that the mailman at last refused to take any more for me, because, he said, he only got laughed at. When I gave him the sample for Mr. Harrison, he said "Yes, I will take that, for that is the right thing."

254. Was that the day after you found it on the 8th. I had told the people at ]~uninyong that I had found it, but I had not pointed out the place, llecause it was Saturday. I did not want to make a rush on the Sunday; but I s::tid that I would them the information on Monday morning, and I did so.

255. B.IJ 11rr. Niclwlson. Then Friday was the day you first found it ?~Yes. It was only known at the time to my son, who was with me when I found it. I tried the ground round about for a long distance in every direction, and found gold every where.

256. By the Cltai1·man. Where is this place ?-Half way between Buninyong and Winter's Station.

257. Has it been worked ?-Yes. 258. To advantage ?-Yes. They are working it now. At the first we did not know how

to go to work, and we were only washing the gravel, what we now call surfacing. They are now bottoming the holes, which was never done before, and one man just as I came away had got · eighty ounces on reaching the bottom.

259. Is there anything you would wish to add ?-All I can say is, that I had more trouble in the search than any one else, and if I had known as much as Esmonds, as to how to go to work I should have found it long before I did.

260. By ~tir. ~W. Niclwlson. How soon did you disclose the spot ?-I found the gold on, the 8th, and on the Saturday I went again to make certain, and having found more, I told the people I had got it, but did not say where, because I did not want to have a rush on the Sunday.

261. Bg tlte Clwinnan. Did you know Esmonds at the time he came from California?­I did not.

262. Were you aware of his hllving started oji up the country with a party to look for gold ?-No; nor did I hear anything at all of him until after the Gold Discovery.

it.

263. \Yas your discovery made before that of Esmonds ?-No, mine was after his. 264. And you were not even aware of his having started ?....,.No, not till he had discovered

265. At what date did you find your first samples of gold ?-I cannot tell the exact date, but it was some little time before I got the gold at Buninyong.

266. \Yas that after Esmonds's discovery ?-Yes. There wer~ parties going to the Pyrenees. ·

THURSDAY, 8TH DECEMBER, 1853.

MEMBERS PRESENT :-Mr. Greeves, in the Chair; Mr. Hodgson, Mr. Strachan, and Mr. W. Sieholson.

Mr. James Esmonds called in and examined. 2\lt·. J. E•mondJI, • • 267. By tlw f!lwirnwn.-You allege yourself to be one of the first discoverers of Gold $th~~~~~l.>er, m this Colony, I bcheve?-Yes

268. By Air. St1·acltan.-How long have you been in this Colony ?-For thirteen years. 269. Have you been residing in any particular locality ?-Principally on the Pyrenees. 270. When did you leave this country for California ?-In the year 1849. 271. How were you ewployed there ?-As a digger, and as the superintendent of the claill"

of Messrs. Parks and Smith,

11

2i2. ''V'llen did you return to Port Phillip ?-In 1851. llfr. J. Esmonds.

273. With what views did you return to this country ?-With the expectation of finding 81cunntimud, · t 1 ecembcr, Gold in Victoria. 18~3.

274. Were you led to that from observing an apparent similarity in the physical features of the couutry?-Yes.

275. Was not Mr. Hargreavesapassenger in the same vessel with you from California?-Yes. 276. You discovered Gold on the Pyrenees, did you not ?-Yes. 277. On what date ?-It was in the latter end of the month of June, about the 28th I

think, in the year 1851, at a place since called "The Clunes.'' 278. Do you know Cameron ?-I do. 279. Did he visit you whilst you were working there ?-He did. 280. Did he tell you of any one who had discovered Gold in that part of the country?-

No, he did not. 281. Did you shew the Gold you had discovered to any one ?-Yes. 282. To whom ?-To my party. 283. The party you had formed for the purpose of working the Gold ?-Yes. 284. Who were they ?-Their names are Pugh, Barns, and Kelly. 285. When was the party formed ?-The day after the discovery of the Gold. 286. 'Where were thoBc parties ?-They were working on the Pyrenees at the same time. 287. By the Chainnan.-,Vhat were they doing ?-Two of them were sawyers. 288. Bv lfft·. Straclwn.-Aa far as you know you were the party that first discovered

Gold in Victoria ?-Y cs. 289. Will you describe to the Committee the steps you took after you had found the Gold?

-I formed a party the day after, at Burn Bank; a delay of a few days took place, and I then went to town with a view of laying in a stock of provisions, tools, &c.

290. Did you disclose the discovery at Burn Bank ?-No, only to my partners; but it became generally known in the course of a few hours.

291. You did not give publicity to it after coming to Geelong ?-I showed some of the Gold to Mr. Patterson.

292. What date was that ?-The 3rd or 4th of July. I showed him some of the Gold, and told him of the locality in which I had found it.

293. When did you get your cradle ?-.After my return from Melbourne, where I went for stores; I bought the ironwork for the cradle there, but the woodwork of the cradle was made on the Pyrenees, by one of my party, who was a joiner by trade.

294. Are you aware whether any cradle was made before yours in Victoria?-! am not; I never saw one.

295. You have stated that the place you first worked now goes by the name of u The Clunes? "-Y cs.

Yes.

296. Had there been any one working there before you went t.here ?-No one. 297. And you consider yourself as the first person that discovered Gold in this Colony ?-

298. How many ounces of Gold did you send down at first ?-Thirteen or fourteen ounces. 299. 'l'o whom did you send it ?-'ro l\Ir. Patterson. 800. On what day did you send it ?-On the 24th or 28th of August. 301. As far as you know that was the first public produce of the Gold Fields ?-It was the

first that I knew or heard of. 302. Have you anything further that you wish to state to the Committee ?-No, nothing;

except that I went to a deal of expense in making the discovery and getting tools, &c. 303. Did you tell 1\Ir. Patterson the precise locality in which you got the Gold ?-Yes;

and I also told l\Ir. Clarke, the Editor of the Geelong .Advertiser. 304. By tl<e Clia£nnan.-Did you work at digging in California ?-Yes; and in superin­

tending a claim. 305. Were you successful there ?-Pretty well, I got sufficient to pay me for my labor. 306. Is it the same kind of digging here as there ?-No) they are mostly dry diggings

here, but there they are generally on the margins of rivers. 307. Did you observe any similarity between this country and California ?-Yes. 308. Did you mention this to any one before you had left California ?-Yes. 309. To whom did you mention it ?-To some of the party that were working with me. 310. That you were satisfied that there was Gold in Australia ?-Yes. 3ll. After leaving there, how long was it before you made a search for it ?-I was about

a month at Sydney, and we had a three or four weeks passage from Sydney here. 312. Did you disclose your views to any one at Sydney ?-No. 313. Did you, after leaving there, to any one ?-No. 314. Had you any previous knowledge of the district of the Pyrenees before you found

Gold there ?-I had known it for about six years. 315. Did you hear of Brentone's nugget at the time that it was discovered?-! cannot say

that I did. 316. When you mentioned to Mr. Clarke and to Mr. Patterson that you had made

the discovery of the existence of Gold in this Colony, did you make any stipulations as to the discovery being kept secret ?-No; I wished that it might be made known, in order to stop the emigration to Sydney.

317. Then you made no reservation to get something for yourself before it was made known?-No.

Mr. J. Esmonds, continued,

sth December, 1653,

12

318. Was Putsh with you at the time that you made the discovery ?-Yes. 319. Had he any knowledge of the existence of Gold ?-We both formed a prospecting

party, and both went to look for it together. 320. Did you go to him, or did he come to you ?-We were working together; we

had a contract for the same work on the Pyrenees. After it was finished we then comm(lnced the search for Gold.

321. What was the contract for that you and Pugh were engaged in ?-It was bush work. 322. How did it arise that you and he went prospecting for Gold ?-Because it was

discovered in Sydney, that led me to look for it here. 323. How long did your contract take executing ?-Better than two months. 324. Which suggested the search for Gold, was it you or Pugh ?-I suggested it, I believe,.

and he consented; and we both went the day after. 325. Then the idea of prospecting was distinctly your own ?-I was the party that

first mentioned it. 326. Where did you make the first discovery of Gold ?-At the Pyrenees. 327. Had you any conversation on the subject with Mr. Hargreaves when you came over

from California to Sydney ?-No.

APPEND I X.

GOLD DISCOVERY. RETURN '£0 ADDREss.-MR. l\IARK NICHOLSON.-13TH OCTOBER, 1853.

Laid upon the Council Table by the Colonial Secretary, by Command of IIis Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, and ordered by the Council to be printed, 18th October, 1853.

GENTLEMEN-

Melbourne,

To the Committee of the Gold Discover·y.

October, 1853.

W c most respectfully beg to claim being the first gold discoverers in Victoria. 16th July, !Sol.

In support of our claim we have to state that on the 26th day of .July, 1851, we brought gold dust into Melbourne, which was tested by your Honorable Chairman in Mr. Hood the Chemist's, in Collins-street, in the presence of Mr. W alsh and others, and pronounced by them to be gold.

This gold was sealed up and given to William Nicholson, Esq , the then Mayor of l\Ielbourne. ·

We can prove by evidence that the gold dust brought by us to Melbourne, and tested as above mentioned, was found by us on Anderson's Creek, in a spot bordering on Major Newman's Run.

1Ve have further to state that we were the first who started from Melbourne in search of gold, and that it was after two months digging that gold was discovered by us on Anderson'B Creek.

On the 6th of August, 1851, we conducted Messrs. Edward Bell, N. Fenwick, R. W. Wrede, David Armstrong, and several other gentlemen, to the place '~there we discovered gold, who, on examination were satisfied that the soil was auriferous.

\Ve also beg to bring under the notice of the Committee that Anderson's Creek was the first place in Victoria where a Commissioner was appointed.

We have the honor to be, Gentlemen,

Your most obedient and humble servants, LEWIS J. 1\:liCHEL, WILLIAl\1 HABBERLIN.

DISCOVERY OF GOLD. Petition of Walte1• Woodward and others.

(Printed by order of the Legislative Council, 21st October, 1853.)

Sandridge, 21st October, 1853 To the Honorable the Committee of the. Legislative Council for the inquiry into the claims of

the first discovet·era of gold in Victoria. liONORA.BLE GENTLEMEN-

Having seen an advertisement calling upon the first discoverers of gold in Victoria to send in their claims immediately, I beg to state that the Gold Field of which I was the discoverer, was a portion of Ballaarat, and which was known as the a Brown bill Diggings," and was being worked about five weeks previous to the issuing of Government licenses.

Should your Honorablc House deem me worthy of any reward or testimonial for that discovery, it will be gratefully received by

DISCOVERY OF GoLD.-d.

Your very humble and obedient Servant, WILLIAM BROWNIHLL

14

GOLD DISCOVERY. Petition of James Regan, former•ly of Gcelong, but now ?'esiding at Cambridge-street,

Collingwood, nea1' the City of Jlfelbou1'ne, Gold Digge1·.

(Printed by order of the Legislative Council, 27th October, 1853.)

Colonial Secretary's Office, Melbourne, 4th November, 1858.

D.B. SIR,

I have the honor, by direction of His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, to forward you the accompanying copy of a letter received from Mr. Sandford, relating to the claim of the Rev. W. B. Clarke as to the first discovery of gold.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

(By order) LEWIS GILLES, Assistant Colonial Secretary.

The Chairman of the Committee on Gold Discovery.

SIR,

(COPY.) Geelong, 1st November, 1853.

As I observe that a Committee of the Legislative Council has been appointed for the purpose of investigating claims to the first discovery of gold, and as I believe you were (while a Member of Council in Sydney), acquainted with the Rev. W. B. Clarke, I take the liberty of reminding you, if that be necessary, of the claims of that gentleman, and trust that you will not con;:;ider me intrusive in urging the merits of an old and valued friend and pastor. l\Jr. Clarke's services, as you are doubtless aware, have been appreciated to a certain extent in Sydney, and to some extent acknowledged by the Legislature ; and as in the case of Mr. Hargreaves, the fact that that gentleman had received a recompense in New South Wales, was not held to debar him from consideration and reward here, Mr. Clarke's friends may not unreasonably hope that a similar course will be adopted in his case.

Mr. Clarke has, to my knowledge, travelled over many thousand square miles (I might with truth say upwards of 100,000), prosecuting at the instance of the New South Wales Government the' discovery of new gold fields. His journeys have extended to the eastern border of this Colony, and his researches and reports cannot but be of much service to this Colony. I will not, however, trouble you at greater length with the recital of my friend's claims, which indeed are probably better known to you than to myself, trusting that I have said enough to call your attention to the matter, and that you will not deem me officious in volunteering these remarks, which arc entirely prompted (as I have said) by respect and regard for an old and valued friend.

I have taken the liberty of addressing you not so much in your official character as in that of a late !>Iember of the Sydney Legislature, and one well acquainted, as I believe, with the merits of the gentlcmax~ referred to in this letter.

The Honorable John Foster, Esq., Colonial Secretary, Victoria.

D.B. 53 I 12,859. Sm,

(Signed) I have, &c.,

EDW ARD SANDFORD.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Melbourne, 14th November, 1853.

I have the honor, by command of His Excelle11cy the Lieutenant Governor, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th instant, requestfng copies of a letter from J. 1\Iichel and others, and of the reply thereto ; and to state that the letter of Messrs. Habbcrlin, Michel, and others, a copy of which is forwarded herewith, is the only correspondence discoverable in this office.

The Chairman of the Gold Discovery Committee of the Legislative CounciL

I have the honor to be, Sir)

Your most obedient Servant,

(By Order) J,EWIS GILLES, Assistant Colonial Secretary.

15

SIR, 1\Ielbourne, 8th July, 1851.

'\Ve, the undersigned, forming together a party, who have of late devoted some time in searching for J\lineml Deposits in this District, deem it our duty to make known to your Excellency the success which has attended our exertions, and also to inform your Excellency of the locality from whence the specimens were obtained.

The distance from Melbourne, by Hodgson's Punt, we calculated to be about fifteen miles. The veins were first discovered at the Deep Creek, from there they were traced for some

distance across Major Newman's run. Its formation is quartz, and primitive sandstone. '\Ve followed the veins for several miles, and have no doubt they extend over a great extent

of country. We have visited the locality three times, and on the last occasion Dr. W ebb Richmond

accompanied us on behalf of the Gold Committee, and we take the liberty to forward herewith a copy of the certificate given by that gentleman to the Secretary of the Gold Committee

The specimens tested were gathered from various places along the surface of the veins. We have also tested the specimens ourselves, both by acids and by smelting in a furnace, and by each of these tests we have obtained gold. •

From these facts we are led to believe that when the veins are opened to the depth of a few feet, Gold will be found in quantities. But as we have already lost some time, and incurred expense in prosecuting the search, and have so far proved by the opinion of scientific men, that it is an auriferous region, we beg to enquire whether the Government will be disposed to remunerate the party for past outlay, and assist in prosecuting the search further, by opening the veins as we have not the means at our command which will be required to prosecute the search further.

'\Ve have the honor to be, Your Excellency's most obedient Servants,

To His Excellency C. J. La Trobe, Esq.

(Signed) Wl\'I. HABBERLIN, JAS. FURNIV AL, S. J. J\HCHEL, JAMES MELVILLE, JAS. HEADEN, BENJN. GREENIG.

[ENCLOSURE.)

Melbourne, Monday, 7th July, 1851. DEAR SIR,

I accompanied Messrs. Greenig, J\Jichel and party, to the Yarra Ranges, on the Deep Creek, on Saturday last, for the purpose of exploring the vein from which the specimens in your possession were obtained.

I found a vein of quart2; running through the lower sandstone bearing strong indications of an auriferous deposit, and have since tested specimens I brought from the spot, many of which exhibit traces of gold ;-but as they were taken from the crop none are very rich, therefore I can give no opinion as to probable richness of the vein.

H. J. Hart, Esq., Honorary Secretary Gold Committee.

I remain, &c., (Signed)

[Mimtte on the letter of 9th July, 1851.] "Answered verbally by His Excellency."

NoTE-

WEBB IUCHlHOND.

There is no record in the Office of the Colonial Secretary of the letter said to have been written to S. J. 1\'lichel requiring his attendance.

Buninyong, lOth August, 1851. DEAR SIR, ~

I have now the pleasure of handing you specimens of gold found quite in the neighbour­hood· they were handed me by .Mr. Thomas Hiscoek, whose veracity I have every reason to depe~d upon. Many who were quite prepared to start for the Pyrenees, and who had furnished themselves with implements and provisions have now abandoned the idea, and are about to try their fortune in the neighbouring ranges, which are pronounced by the experienced to be much more prolific. I however intend going to the spot to-morrow, and shall forward you particulars by W edncsday's mail should an earlier opportunity not occur.

Yours, truly, p1'o JouN VEITCH,

R LIVIXGSTOX. Mr. J ames Harrison.

16

Sm, In pursuance of a Proclamation dated the eighteenth d<>y of October, instant, requiring

persons claiming to be the first gold discoverers in thi~ Colony to for":ard their claims to the Chairman of the Gold Committee, we have the honor to mform you that m the month of August, 1851, we found gold at Ballaarat, which gold was on the 13th September, 1851, produced to His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor in ~Ielbourne, and was seen by Mr. William Nicholson, and afterwards sold to Mr. Hood.

We shall be in readiness to be in attendance on the Committee, and we request that Mr. David Duncan, of Great Bourke-street, storekeeper; Mr. Bain, of Elizabeth-street, jeweller; Mr William ::\ icholson, of Great Collins-street ; and lllr. Hood, of Great Collins-street, druggist; be summoned as witnesses.

We have the honor to be, Sir,

Your most obedient Servants, THO:YIAS EASTER,

Storekeeper, Upper Keilor. HENRY GRIFFITHS,

24, I.ittle Collins-strect cast, Melbourne. To the Chairman of the Gold Committee.

To tl;e Ilonorable the Legislative Council of the Colon11 of Viator·ia in Council assembled.

SHEWETH-

The humble petition of Christophcr Thomas Peters, of Great Bourke-street, in the City of :\Ielbourne, Colony of Victoria, Gold Digger,

Pre>enled to the Legis- That your petitioner was, in and for some time previous to the month of July, one lJ,tivt! Council, IBth * :xoverntJer, 1853. thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, engaged at work as a hut keeper, at a certain statiOn,

called Barker's Creek Station, in the County of , in this Colony, belonging to '\Yilliam Barker, of" The Charlton Station," Esquire, and that on the twentieth day of the said month of July, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, your petitioner, being alone, found gold at a place now known as Specimen Gully, Barker's Creek, in tho said county.

That Specimen Gully is within eigl1ty miles of the City of Melbourne, and that such gold so found was obtained by your petitioner by cracking or crushing quartz found on the surface, and consisted of quartz gold.

That your petitioner left the employment of the said William Barker about the tenth day of August then following, and having communicated his said discovery to John Worley, then working as bullock driver, on the Charlton Station, but now of Kyneton, in the said Colony;· George Robinaon, then of one of the outstations of the said William Barker, as hut keeper, but now of ; and Robert Keen, then of the last named Station, as shepherd, but now of ; engaged such three last mentioned persons to join him in prosecuting a further search for gold at Specimen Gully aforesaid: and your petitioner and such three last named persons accordingly proceeded to Specimen Gully and engaged in such work, and continued so employed until the first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.

That your Petitioner and his fellow workers desisted from such work in consequence of complaints of trespass, and that on the first day of the said month of September, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-ono, the said John Worley, at the request and by the direction of your Petitioner, wrote and sent a letter to the :\Ielbourno newspaper called the A1'gus, which was in the words and figures following (that is to say)-" DEAR Sm,

" I wish you to publish those few lines in your valuable paper, that the public may know that there is gold found in these ranges, about four miles from Dr. Barker's Home Station, and about a mile from the l\Ielbourne Road, at the southernmost point of !\Ionnt Alexander, where three men and myself are working.

" I do this to prevent parties from getting us into trouble, as we have been threatened to haYe the coostables fetched for being on the ground. If you will have the kindness to insert this in your paper that we are prepared to pay anything that is just when the Commissioner in the name of the ptlrty comes.

" JOH.N WORJ~EY. " )Iount Alexander Ranges, 1st September, 1851."

That sueh letter was published in the said _lfrgus newspaper on the eighth day of the said month of September, but that by mistake the signature thereto was printed "John \Vahey," instead of John Worley, and that a notice was prefixed to such publication by the Editor, in the words following, that is to say:-~< New Gold Field. ~We have received the following letter, announcing the discovery of a new gold field at '\Yestcrn Port."

That on the eight of the month of October following, l\Ir. Powlett, the Commissioner of Crown Lands, came to Specimen Gully, aforesaid, where your Petitioner and his fellow workmen still continued, when the said William Barker introduced your Petitioner to the said l\Ir. Powlett as the discoverer of the said gold, and the said Mr. Powlett mentioned that n, royalty of live pounds was payable from each of them. Your Petitioner then replied, that he, your Petitioner, ought to be paid for his said discovery, instead of having to pay a royalty in respect thereof.

That such royalty was not paid at the time, and in consequence of such objection on the part of your Petitioner, your Petitioner by arrangement with the said 1\ir. Powlett proceeded to

1i

Melbourne, and arrived there on the fifteenth of the said month, and had interviews with the said 1\Ir. Powlett, at the Colonial Secretary's Office, on the sixteenth and eighteeenth days of the said month, on the subject of such discovery and working aforesaid; and that on the twentieth of the said month, finding that no favor could then be shewn to him by the authorities as such discoverer under the Government Regulations, paid the sum of five pounds, and one pound ten shillings license money at the house of the said Mr. Powlett, at Gisbornc, when a receipt iVas given to him by the wife of the said Mr. Powlett, which was in the words and figures following: that is to say-

" Mrs. Powlett received from Christophcr Thomas Peters the amount of £6 10s. :-£5 royalty, and £1 10s. License Money. October 20, 1851."

That your Petitioner and two of his fellow workers sold ninety-eight ounces, four penny· weights, and six grains of gold, obtained by them at Specimen Gully, aforesaid, to Messrs. Dalgety, Gore and Company, of the city of J\felbourne, MerchantR, for the sum of two pounds five shilling! per ounce, who thereupon made an entry of the puchase in their books, in the words and figures following: that is to say-

" 1851. Oct. 15. Gold, paid Worley, Peters, and Robinson, for 98 oz. 4 dwts. and 6 grains, at 45s. per ounce, £221 Os. Od."

That the said royalty so paid by your Petitioner was charged on the quantity so sold as last aforesaid.

That in consequence of such discovery of Gold by your Petitioner, large numbers of proceeded to Specimen Gully and its neighbourhood, and have ever since continued to work thercat, and that at least one million ounces of Gold have been obtained therefrom and forwarded to Melbourne for sale.

Your Petitioner therefore most humbly prays that the matters contained in this his Petition may be considered by the Honorable Council, and that his claim to be the first discoverer of Gold in the Colony of Victoria may be fully inve;;tigated, or that your Honorable Council will be pleased to give your Petitioner such further or other relief as to your Honorable Council shall seem meet.

And your Petitioner will ever pray, &c. (Signed) CHRISTOPHER THOMAS PETERS.

Witnesses Names and Addresses-F. A. POWI~ETT, ESQ., Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands. WILLIAM BARKER, ESQ., Charlton Station, Mount Alexander. ,JOHN WORLEY, Kyneton. F. G. DALGETY, Melbourne.

Tu the Honorable the Legislati1•e Council nf the Colony of Victol'io, in Onu1u,il assembled.

The Petition of John 'Vorley, of Barker's Creek, Jlount Alexander, 8HEWETH-

'l'hat your Petitioner did on the first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and rrr'ontert to the

fifty-one, address a letter to the Editor of the A1•gus respecting his having found an available ~~;c"u.io~;·"1~·~~·. gold mine at Mount Alexander. On the eighth of the same month the letter appeared in the ' columns of that journal.

That your Petitioner was the first person who wrought for gold in the Mount Alexander District, and the first to give information of the existence of the metal in that District.

That your Petitioner had at that time been in the employment of the Messrs. Barker of ~Iount Alexander for the period of two years, to whom he begs to refer your Honorable House as to the truth of his assertion; also to His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor and F. A. Powlett, Esq., at that time Chief Comm,issioner of Crown Lands.

Your Petitioner therefore humbly prays your Honorable House will take his Petition into eonsideration.

And your Petitioner will ever pray, &c. JOHN WORLEY.

25th November, 1853.

November, 1853. Gentlemen, and Honorable Members of the Legislative Council of the 1'1·ovince of Yictoria.

Just when about to start on a botanical expedition on the ranges called the Australian Recei.ed ntout tOth

Alps, I have learned with no small degree of astonishment that it is proposed to give J\Ir. November, 1m. Hargreaves a large sum of money from the public purse, for supposed benefits which he has con-ferred on the people of Victoria: the proposition is false, for myself and a gentleman of French descent, Arthur Bayard, left California, with the express purpose of finding gold in Victoria; our opinions being formed on that of Sir r:toderick ?I'Iurchison, having heard him lecture previous to our departure from London, of which place I have the honor to be a native. We were successful in California, and, bringing ample means with us to Victoria, on the 14th l'cbruary, 1851, we were rewarded by finding some fine nuggets in a deep ravine, which we called Dayard's Ravine. Our system was, in common with Mexican diggers in California, peculiar to ourselves;

DISCOVERY OF GoLD.-e.

it consi~ts in every mvinc, w,tLel' c.:,un,~, an•l c•r.:cks Ekoly t•J crmtain gold, for papitas, or pockets of system great patienec, you may k' m·1ny 1•:e"ks without finding any gold; but the fortane;; lnn·J lwcm 'n:dc in th;, Americas, and by which we succecdccl in less than a more t:wn<mcl-; thaa a'lY r,f your diggers have d0ne hundreds. \Ye of cb~s carry conden~··J me.tt' wit~1 us, ,,,,,l ns.1,1lly dispense with the formality of a when we do not choo.<') t•) make it pa:.\i,•. \1' e 1;·.cre much amused in J uue, 1851, at hearing that the paHry reward of <c;.wo h:d b:ca oXc;·c•l ; ''by, ''c w.:mld not han discovered our mines for less than £5000 per man. Rcvmrd thn men who acted less Rclfish than we did and opened 011t to your lall(l such prosperity; hut any rew:.1d frznn yuu to Mr. IL (whom I respect as dl men of each other), woulli be a mi~nsi ng of the public funlls certain to be resented by when I returned :~n<l laid tlH; proper ease b2forc them; which I certainly should do, if in order to raise fresh rc\'cnucs from tiwm by an Export DL1ty, you squander money to a man who is neither the first printic nor the first public di;;~overer in your Gold :Fields, and reward none of the men who did you real serviee. New South Wales d;d right to reward him, he was the first private discoverer there, and to do him justice, was cert:tinly a few days and only a few days before me and Bayard, in hi3 then private discovery afterwards made public. 'Ne want no reward (and here I will take the liberty of answering for my absent friend in London, we have sufficiently rewarded ourselves), and feeling that we ought to do some­thing for the good of Victoria, shall in a time not far distant commission two young men, friend,.; of ours, to reveal our Gold Field; (which I believe will equal any yet discovered, judging from the large amounts we have made from our system, which is nwrc of the bead than arm~, anrl requires brains)-one of whom was to have been with us but arrived out too late to find us in Melbourne, owing to not getting a letter in Liverpool in time, where I wrote to Mr. S. from California informing him that Australia was likely to prove a second CnJifornia; this letter reacbe~ Liverpool early in November, 1850. I despa.tched a previous letter under care of his father m Cheshire, in which I had written in invisible ink my firm belief t:1at Australia. was :J,

great gold country. Gentlemen,

I remain your Servant, DON LOUIS DE BOUVA,

Virst private Gold discoverer of Victoria.

By Authority: Jom; F:Erums, Government Printer, Melbourne,

SUPPLE~IENTAL EVIDENCE.

THURSDAY, 16TU FEBH.UARY, 1854.

MEMBERS PRESENT :-Mr. Greeves, in the Chair; llir. W. Nicholson, and Mr. U. Nicholson.

Dr. George Herrmann Bruhn called in and examined.

328. By the Chairman.-Allow me to ask you if you had not heard that this Committee Dr. G. H. Bnthn,

had months back advertised for all persons claiming to be discoverers of Gold in Victoria to hand Iuth i~~~~~~uat·y, in their claims ?-I had not; I reside on the Diggings, and it is but very seldom that I see a newspaper.

329. When did you make your discovery and where ?-1\Iy letter to tlw Committee will state the particulars, but there is an error in the letter, for I made my first discovery in April, 1851, instead of 2\iay as stated in my letter.

330. Where was the spot that the discovery was made ?-I started one afternoon, in April, 1851, from Mr. Parker's Station, and about two miles behind it, I came across a quartz vein : taking up some of the pieces, I found one that had two small specks of gold on it. I made :1 mark on a tree, as we do in our country, by cutting a deep cross on it so that I might know the place again. I then went on to ~Ir. Cameron's Station at Climes, having heard that there was an extensive quartz vein there. I learnt this about five miles before I came to his place from some of his shepherds at an out station. I was in the habit wherever I came to a station of making enquiries from the shepherds for quartz. At this sheep station they told me that there was a quartz vein at Mr. Cameron's station, and that it had been known for a long time that there was gold there I then went on to nlr. Cameron's and ~poke to that gentleman. He told me that there was gold there, and offered to show me the spot, which he afterwards did. I got gold there, and I got some again at a spot some distance further on, in some quartz pebbles. When I made this discovery, I had been some time from )Ielbourne, and was not aware that a Committee hal been formed, and that rewards had been offered by a public meeting. It was not till some time after, when I came to Burn Bank, that I saw the advertisement in the newspapers offering a reward for the discovery of gold in Victoria. Immediately on seeing it I wrote down a letter to the Committee informing them of my discovery. (Letter read-see appendix.) After this letter had been received, a meeting of the Committee was held, and I hand in a report of the proceedings on that occasion. (Report read-see appendix).

331. When was it that you communicated to the Committee the exact spot where you had found gold ?-About a fortnight after the date of my letter of the 24th June.

332. And for what spot do you claim ?-For the Clunes Diggings. I found also gold in the Jim Crow Ranges, and mentioned it to several persons; ,amongst others to 1\Ir. JYiarkut, who communicated the fact to the newspapers. •

333. Are you aware that there are other claimants for the discovery of the Clunes Diggings ?-Yes. As to Esmonds, he came over to me, and I sent him to the Pyrenees. He was in a spring cart at the time, and told me he had been to California, and asked me about the gold at Cameron's, and if I thought it would pay. I said, yes; and he then went there. He came back in a few days, and said he had been there, and that it would pay well as he could make an ounce a day.

334. When then did you make your first discovery ?-In April, 1851. 335. How was it then that you did not communicate the fact until the end of June?

Because I did not know of the reward offered by the public meeting or of the Committee being appointed.

336. When did you discover the gold at Parker's Station ?-Two or three days before I came to Clunes.

337. Have you been at the Clunes since then ?-Yes, several times. 338. Did you on any occasion see Captain 1\'IcLaughlan there ?-That I do not know.

Mr. Cameron made me the proposition to go and see the quartz vein, and I went with him. He said he did not think it was workable, and asked my opinion. I said I thought it was, and that it would turn out very rich.

339. Did you mention to Mr. Cameron that you had discovered gold near 1\Ir. Parker's? No; I intended to keep it secret until I had an opportunity of knowing the extent of the gold deposit.

340. Were you informed by ~Ir. Cameron that gold had been found at Clunes ?-Yes; he said that gold had been found there a long time ago and that very many persons knew of it.

341. Did he tell you then that he knew of gold being there ?-Yes, he did. 342. Who was with you, when you first found gold there ?-Mr. Cameron and his

overseer. I never thought that Government would have given a reward, or I would have made the matter known sooner. If ~Ir. Cameron claims the reward for the Clunes he has less claim than me, for I made it known at once; and if he knew of gold being there so long a time

DISCOVERY OF GoLD, f.

20

Dr. G. H.B,~uhn, back, whv did he not mctke it public, as he had plenty of time to communicate it, even after I had !6~·~ni~~;:;:~;.y, found gold there. At all events, if you do not take me to be the first discoverer of gold, I am the

1854• first publisher of its bciDg found.

3-HL What was the day when you first published the exact spot where you had found gold ?-Just a few rby~ after I left Jlr. Cameron's. I told it to the people at Hodgkisson's Station, and to every body I met. Esmonds was at Hodgkisson's Station at the time building a hut, and I told him of it, and sent him to the spot.

344. Have you any further statement to make ?-Xo; I would claim some fair ac:know­ledgmcnt at the hautls of the Committee, as I was for a long time out in the bush pursuing the discovery. I was very poor at the time, and I had to encounter some great hardships during the five or six months I wns out in the bush; and as this was in the service of the Colony, I hope the Committee will bear all this in mind.

APPENDIX TO SUPPLEMENTAL EVIDENCE. Gold Fields, Forest Creek,

i\Iontgomery Bill, January 2;'itlt, 1854. To tlw Ilono1'able the Chairman and .V"ernbers of the Select Committee 1:( the Legislative

Oou;u:il of Victoria, on the claim.s fm• the discove1·!f of Geld in Yictoria. The Memorial of the umlcrsigncd, Dr. George H. Bruhn, humbly sheweth :

1. That after having examined, on dift'erent occasions, the geological features of this Colony, being convinced of itil abonnding in valuable ore and other minerals, and after hadng given public notice in January, the said Dr. Gcorge H. Bruhn started from Melbourne in February, lf:\51, a few days after the Black Thursday, in order to explore the mineral resources of the Colony, and that he found gold aml other minerals at the Pyrenees in May, 1851.

2. That the fact was communicated first in a letter to lilessrs. Ritter and Havcrkorn, then grocers, Lonsdalc-;,trcet, Melbourne, and afterwards to the Melbourne ..Argns, Jlclbonrue Daily 1V"ews, .Llfelbow·,lc Jlo1·ning lieJ·ald, and .Melbourne Times, and that a paragraph appeared in the said papers under or about 9 I 11th l\lny, 1851, mentioning the discovery.

3. That after a Gold Committee having been formed at Melbourne offering a reward to the first discoverer of gold in tl1is Colony, your "'lemorialist forwarded from the Pyrenees under the 24th June, 1851, to the said Committee, two samples of gold embedded in white quartz, which samples were tested by a Sub-Committee, and declared to contain gold as reported in the Melbourne Mo1·ning Herald, June 30th, 1851.. Your i\fcmorialist also handed, on his personal appearance in town, about a fortnight afterwards, some more samples of gold to the same Committee.

4. Though :\Ir. Hargreavcs discovered Gold in New South Wales or:. the 12th February, 1851, the fact was not published through the Sydney press but a few months afterwards, and then extracted by the Melbourne papers, and your Memorialist believes that the communication of the existence of Gold at the Pyrenees, furnished by him, will be found to be mentioned nearly at the same time, if not under an earlier date, in the .iHelhourne papers, as the report of 3:Ir. Hargreave's discovery in New South Wales was noticed by the press of Victoria.

5. Your .Memorialist, after having laid thc8c datc3 before your I-Ionorable House, and the gold field at the Pyrenees not only haYing been worked afterwards, but having abo induced other parties to further researches which nearly immediately led to the discoveries of the Gold Fields at Ballaamt, :.fount Alexander, Bendi!;O, &c., and considering the vast benefits which resulted from these discoveries to the Colony of Victoria, believes to have a claim to a reward for the services thus rendered by him to the Colony.

G. Your Memorialist, living at a distance of about eighty miles from :Melbourne, and not having been regul::trly supplied with tl10 Colonial newspapers, was thus prevented from laying this humble l\Icmorial before your IIonorable House at an earlier date; but hopes that, nevertheless, on its own merits, it will be favorahly entertained by your IIouorable House.

Your Memorialist has the honor to sirrn as "' The most obedient humble Servant,

GEORGE HERilMANN BRUHN.

STATEMENT OF FACTS RELATlVE TO 'l'HE DISCOVEHY OF GOLD IN VICTORIA.

BY W. CAliiPBET.L, EsQ. To the Honorable the Ohainnan and Jlfembers of the Select Committee of the Legislative

Council, on the Claims for the Discovery of Gold in Victoria.

A short time previous to the repo~t of the discovery of gold in California reaching this Colony, a lump of gold was exhibited in llfelhonrne which was reported to have been found by a shepherd on "Glcnmona," ~fessrs. McNiel and Hall's Station at the Pyrennees, which report induced Mr. Brentani, a jeweller of Melbourne, (who had purchased the lump of gold) to accompany the shepherd back to Glenmona. Such report also induced a number of" diggers" to go there for the purpose of harvesting the precious metal; but they all failed in their search, and their failure led to a belief that the unfortunate shepherd was an impostor, and that the lump of

21

gold exhibite:l was that of some melted plate-and so the belief of the existence of a gold mine in Australia graclually died away. However, the extraordinary accounts of the gold discovery in California turned my attention to that subject; and from reading a description of the geological formation of the auriferous part of that country, I thought, from observing a large vein of quartz at "Clunes" plr. Donald Camcron's Station) of similar formation, that it was the most likely place I knew to fincl ~old in. I statecl. such opinions to many of my friends, and even recommended Mr. Camcron, in order to make the discovery, to break up a portion of the quartz rock into gravel for his garden walks, a thing he required at the time. My views were of course considered Yisionary, and nothing was done for some time. However, being on a Yisit at 1\Ir. Cameron's in l\Iarch, 1850, I asked Mr. Cameron, Mr. Lcwis Grant, and Mr. McLennan (i\Ir. Camcron's overseer), to accompany me in search for the gold, which they cl.icl.; and in the course of a few minutes I had the satisfaction of ha,·ing the correctness of my expressed opinions verified by the cl.iscovcry of a golcl. mine in Australia, on the exact spot where I said I thought it would be found. Several pieces of tttmrtz containing pure gold in the crevices were then picked up from off the surface of the ground by each of the party; the first dccicl.cd specimen 1y Mr. l\IcLcnnan, who, were it not that I led the party to the spot f,T the purpose of making the discovery, might have claimed to have been the first discoverer of a gold mine in Australia. As it is, his daim deserves consiclcration.

As )Jr. Camcron's interests were likely to have b2cn injurecl by the discovery being then made known to the public, I conlcl. not feel justified in disclosing my discovery, otherwise I could have established my claim to the cliscovcry of the first gold mine in Australia long prior to the Sydney discovery. But when the discovery in New South \Yalcs of May, 1851, caused a migration from Victoria, and created a panic throughout the whole Colony, and in Melbourne in particular, I wrote to Mr. James Gmham of Melbourne, on the 5th June, 1851, that he might use my name as the discoYcrer of gold at the Pyrenees, in order to check emigration to Sydney; but owing to the illness and death of his child, which occurred at the time of the receipt of my letter, he overlooked the matter. I also then advised Mr. Cameron to make the discovery known to the Government, which he delayed doing. After I ascertained that Mr. Cameron had shown the locality to parties who were likely to claim the merit of its discovery, I felt at liberty to make the discovery known to the public, which I did by letter to Mr. Graham, on the 5th July, direct.ing him to make it known to the Ch:tirman of the Mining Committee, and also to the Government, which he did upon the 8th July. A rush of diggers was soon upon the ground, where they remained working until a richer mine was discovered near Buninyong. The produce, though far deficient to the enormous yield obtained from Ballaarat and l\Iount Alexander on the first opening of these fields, was sufficient (even uniler the very imperfect mode of digging then in use for tbe first time in Victorin) to prevent parties from going to Sycl.ncy. The mine being within a radius of half a mile of Mr. Cameron's homestead, and upon the section purchased by him under the pre­emptivc rig~1ts, no digg1:ng is ilzeJ·efo•·e allowed vpon it, though I believe it is as productiYc as many of the gold ficlcls that arc now wrought; and, under a proper application of machinery, I have no doubt but it will, at no distant time, be profitably wrought. It is situated in the centre of the var:ous great gold fields of Victoria, and only separated from them by recent volcanic deposits. W. CA.:\IPBBI~L.

Copy of a LETTER from DR. G. H. BrtUHN to the GoLD Col\I:IIITTEE appointed by Public jfceting, in 1851.

Pyrenees, 24th June, 1851. DR. GEORGE BRUHN, Geologist, has the horror to send for inspection and analysis to the Committee of the Mining Company in ~Ielbourne, two samples of quartz which contain gold and other grey ore which also seems to indicate some gold. 'l'he said quartz rock forms large a,nd extensive veins the outside of which is richly covered by particles and sm<tll veins of gold.

As Dr. Bruhn makes his geological excursions quite alone on horse back and of course not able to carry with him tools and implements for digging, he had not yet examined the inside of the said quartz rock veins, but alluding to the geological features of the same, he thinks they may turn out a gold mine. Dr. Bruhn has the intention to return to Melbourne in the course of ten or fourteen days, a,nd he will feel very happy to communic:tte with the Committee his meaning a1out the above mentioned gold, &c.

Should gold not exist in the locality mentioned by Dr. Bruhn, he not only perils his character 1ut his professional abilities.

Extract f1·om the Melbourne Argus, of 30th June 1851.

THE GoLD CoMMITTEE.

The Committee sat on Saturday, at the Town Clerk's Office, to take into consideration a communication from Dr. Bruhn, relative to the discovery of gold in the Pyrenees. (The letter was pu1lislted in our last issue.)

Mr. Hood produced the specimens which he said he had examined a,nd found to contain gold. He thought that the proportion so far as he had been able to estimate it was sufficient to render the deposit valuable.

22

Dr. Richmond said, in reply to a question by Mr. Hart, that if the specimen produced were a fair sample of the quartzosc rock, and that it was easy of access, not being imbedded in a lmrder rock, there could not be any doubt that the workings would be profitable ; but that these points must be ascertained, as if the auriferous rock were imbedded in a harder material, the gold would be so difficult to be got at as to be hardly worth working exc<opt by a company possessed of the necessary machinery.

:Mr. A. H. Hart suggested that a Deputation of the Committee should go to meet Dr. Bruhn.

The 1\fayor was for letting those go that liked, and the rest, stay at home. 1\Ir. A. H. Hart was very anxious that. some decisive steps should be taken in the matter,

but, in accordance with the general opinion, it was determined to wait until Dr. Bruhn arrived in town, which by the terms of his letter would be in about ten days, and the Mayor promised to communicate with him on his arrival, to give notice to the Committee of the result, and if need were to call a meeting.

l\Ir. Hood roughly estimatea that a drachm of the richest specimen contained about 2! grains of gold. This would yield a very large per centage to a company furnished with every requisite, such as stamping mills, crushing rollers, quicksilver machine, &c., but it is not an attractive kind of mining to the generality of gold lleckers who work generally singly or in small parties.

Melbourne, 8th July, 1851. SIR,

I do myself the honor to enclose a copy of a letter I received this morning from William Campbell, Esq., of Strath Loddon, claiming for hinlJlelf the merit of the discovery of Gold at the Pyrenees.-Annexed to the copy of his letter you will find an extract from one that I had received previously from him, the particulars of which I did not then make public, from the fact of his letter having reached me at a time when I was visited with a severe domestic a:ffiiction, which caused the matt.er to escape me altogethel'.

I now put you in possession of all the particulars that ~Ir. Campbell has communicated to me, which I shall feel obliged by your laying before the Committee, appointed by the public meet­ing held on the 9th ultimo; and, as requested by 1\fr. Campbell, I claim on his behalf, the merit of the discovery, and also the reward offered by the Committee through you; but, as it appears to me, that he has made a great mistake in not sending down a specimen of the Gold that he found, I have written to him by this day's mail to forward the same to me by the very earliest opportunity. On the receipt of the specimen, or further particulars, I shall do myself the honor of again addressing you. Meantime,

I have the honor to remain, Sir,

Your most obedient Servant, (Signed) JA~IES GRAHAM.

P.S.-I may add that the Deep Creek referred to by Mr. Campbell is not the Deep Creek between l't:lelbourne and l\'Iount Macedon, but the one laid down in Ham's map between Mount Cole and l.Uount Alexander.

To William Nicholson, Esq., Mayor of Melbourne.

B!i ,\.UTHOBI'l"Y: JOHN F.EBREB, GOVERNMENT l'!UNTER, MELB0l1llli!E.