File:The Quarterly journal of the Geological Society of London (12711524765).jpg

398
PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. .Mar. 7,
having been disturbed, as for instance on "Flour-bag," Creswick
Creek, where the auriferous layer sometimes crops out on the top of
a hill, and is separated from the next depression by a ridge of slate,
Fig. 3. — Superficial auriferous deposits at Flour Bag, Creswick Creek.
Slaty Ridge.
Slate-rock.
whilst on both sides it is found at a depth of 30 and 45 feet below
the bottom of the existing gullies, which run nearly north and south.
See fig. 3.
A great portion of these inequalities of the gold-charriage are so
covered by the more recent alluvium, that the relief of the present
surface does not in the least correspond with that older bed. In
direction also, or strike, it differs entirely from the modern water-
courses, as for example at Creswick Creek, where the auriferous run
crosses the flat formed by the present creek, and proceeds to " Flour-
bag," "White Hill," the "New Rush" (a place which I opened,
and which has turned out the richest in this locality), " Hard Hill,"
" Little Hard Hill," " Iron Hill," and down to " Large Point." In
practice it is therefore useless to put down a hole according to the
relief of the soil, although I am informed it is not so at Forest Creek,
on the Bathurst side.
The inequalities above described I am inclined to ascribe to a
disturbance at the period of the eruption of the basalt, although I
must admit that I have not observed proofs of it in the slaty rock,
and I should infer that its beds had been raised and sunk like wedges
in the direction of its cleavage.
Thus far I have only spoken of one gold "charriage;" but in
Ballarat, I believe, we may distinguish two: — 1st, the deep bed,
with boulders of moderate size ; 2nd, the shallow bed, with large
boulders.
The deep bed of Ballarat is formed of several "lines" (as the dig-
gers say), or ancient water-courses, of no great width, which, although
they crop out on the Ranges, attain a depth of 120 and 130 feet,
and have acquired for Ballarat its great celebrity.
The course of this "deep-sinking" charriage is as follows: —
1st line, the Eureka, which I believe will join with that near Penny-
weight Flat ; 2nd, the New Chum, Canadian, Donald's Flat, and