7th December.
Left our bivouac at 5.50 a.m., and steered north-east over high sandy
downs, covered with coarse scrub; at 10.30 entered the valley of the
Murchison River; at noon halted at our bivouac of the 24th September,
obtained some brackish water by digging in the sand of the small
stream-bed. Having dined, we resumed our journey at 2.30 p.m., and
bivouacked about 5.0 on the left bank of the Murchison, 500 yards below
the large lead vein, obtaining good water in the sandy bed of the river
by digging a few inches, the pools being all salt. While the men were
preparing the tents, etc., the Governor proceeded to examine the vein of
lead, which we traced to a greater distance than on the former occasion
of its discovery, the water having sunk two feet, exposing many portions
of the vein which were before covered.
8th December.
Examined the lead vein, tracing it 320 yards in a direction north 30
degrees east magnetic, along the bed of the Murchison River, which was
nearly dry; clearing the sand and loose stones from the surface, found it
to vary from eight to twenty-four inches in width, the general average
being twelve inches, the dip to the west-north-west at an angle of about
80 degrees from the horizon. Throughout the whole length the lead vein
appeared to be one solid mass of galena; the northern end either
terminates or alters its direction close to a vein of schistose rock,
which intersects the adjacent rocks; to the south the lode was covered by
several feet of sand, which prevented its being traced further, as we had
not time to remove it; the whole of the vein which was traced was
included within the banks of the river, and the greater portion was
covered by shallow water. One specimen of galena showed traces of copper.
The rock which prevails on each side of the vein is a hard compact
gneiss, abounding with garnets, some of which are of good colour, but
mostly full of flaws; the stratification of the gneiss is somewhat
confused, but it generally dips at a high angle (sometimes nearly
perpendicular) to the westward, the strike being north and south. The
facilities which the position of the lode offers for mining are not very
great, as it occupies the lowest part of the valley, and steam power
would be requisite to free the mine from water, and at the same time,
unless the small boat-harbour near the mouth of the Hutt River, or
Gantheaume Bay (both within thirty miles), be found suitable for the
purpose, Champion Bay, distant sixty-two miles in a direct line to the
south, is the nearest port where the ore could be shipped. In the evening
the Governor examined the spot where Mr. Walcott had discovered the small
pieces of lead ore about two and a half miles below the lode, but as most
of the pieces had been picked up on that occasion, we could only find a
few fragments of it.
9th December.
Left the encampment at 4.40 a.m., and steering about south-west, made our
former bivouac on the Hutt River about 1.0 p.m., and halted for the rest
of the day.
10th December.
Started at 4.50 a.m., steering 160 degrees magnetic over sandy country;
passed a small grassy valley at 8.0; halted on the north branch of the
Bowes at 10.10 on a small pool of brackish water; dined and resumed our
route at 2.40 p.m.; steered south over a grassy country till 6.10, when
we halted for the night on a tributary stream to the Bowes; obtained
fresh water by digging, the pools being very small and brackish.