their belief that the specimen in question was an artful fabrication.

Speculations were often hazarded among persons interested in the subject, as to the probability of the colony becoming a gold-producing country, and even confident assertions made, that if washing the alluvial deposits in the streams or gullies flowing from the supposed auriferous ridges were practised, gold, in dust, would certainly be procured. Strange to say, however, so simple an experiment was never tried by those most concerned, in spite of Californian experience, and, consequently, in society generally, the majority of persons, slow to believe in the possibility of a change so important, whenever the subject of goldmining was mentioned, spoke of it with a sneer, as a kind of absurd speculation.

On the 2d of May, 1851, a notice appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, (the leading paper of the colony,) intimating that it was no longer a secret that gold had been found in the earth, in several places in the western country, and that the fact was first established on the 12th of February, by Mr. E. H. Hargraves, a resident of Brisbane Water, who had returned from California a few months previously. It was added, that while in California, Mr. Hargraves felt persuaded that, from the similarity

of the geological formation, there must be gold in several districts of New South Wales, and when he returned his expectations were fulfilled.

On the 8th May, Mr. Hargraves delivered a lecture in Bathurst, when he publicly announced his discoveries, stating, that after a careful examination of from two to three months, he had found that one large gold field existed from the foot of the "Big Hill" to a considerable distance below Wellington; that the precious metal had been picked up in numberless places, and that indications of its existence were to be seen in every direction. So satisfied was he on the point, that he had established a company of nine working miners, who were then actively employed digging at a point of the Summer-hill Creek, near its junction with the Macquarie, about fifty miles from Bathurst, and thirty from Guyong, and that the name of Ophir" had been given to the spot.

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Mr. Hargraves exhibited to the people present samples of gold weighing, in all, about four ounces, the produce, he stated, of three days' work. The amount thus earned by each man, he represented to be 27. 48. 8d. per day; but he observed, that from want of practical knowledge and proper implements, he was convinced that nearly one half of the gold actually

dug had been lost, owing to the labour having been performed in his absence. From the nature of some of the country explored by him,

he was of opinion that gold would be found in mass, and would not be surprised if pieces of thirty or forty pounds should be discovered.

The fact of the existence of gold in the Summer-hill Creek having been thus made known to the public, digging immediately commenced. On the 10th May, two days after

Mr. Hargrave's meeting, three persons left Bathurst, and on the 12th, two of them returned, bringing one piece of gold which weighed down thirty-five sovereigns, another of about half an ounce in weight, and several small pieces, which might weigh half an ounce altogether. The largest piece was described as of solid gold, about three inches long, and of varying thickness, with a small portion of quartz embedded in its thickest part, and the smallest as like spangles, but rough and uneven on the edges. On the following day, two pounds and a half of gold, in lumps, besides a quantity of dust, were brought into Bathurst, which, of course, induced the formation of parties for mining, and the construction of machines, &c. for washing the soil.

On the 16th May, the arrival in Sydney of the specimens mentioned above caused a great sensation; and on the 17th, the report of Mr. Stutchbury, the government geologist, reached the government. This report was so conclusive as to the existence of gold in large quantities, that a proclamation which had been prepared for some time, was immediately issued, declaring the right of the Crown in all precious metals, and prohibiting all persons from searching for or carrying off the same, except under regulations which were to be shortly promulgated.

These, which were framed in some degree on the Californian model, were published a day or two afterwards, and insisted principally on a charge or licence-fee of thirty shillings, which was to be paid by every individual applying for permission to search for the precious metals, for every calendar month, or part of a month, to a land commissioner, appointed to receive it, who was also to have power of allotting small portions of Crown land to each worker, and of settling disputes as to conflicting claims, &c. On private lands no persons but the proprietors, or such as they might authorize, were to be allowed to work, but all were to provide themselves with licences.

The excitement in Sydney was kept up by occasional accounts of great success on the part of individuals. On the 24th May, very favourable intelligence was received from the golddiggers, many of whom wrote to their friends that they were making 37. or 4l. a-day. One party of four was said to have taken out thirty ounces in one day, and a piece of one pound weight had been found. A letter, said to be from a person of undoubted veracity, stated that one man had, within three weeks, accumulated 1,6007. worth of gold! It was also stated that, whatever might be the desponding accounts of some disappointed adventurers, the