MARLBOROUGH.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 79, 2 December 1864, Page 3

MARLBOROUGH.

' A careful observer of the various features of this auriferous distinct will easily see that the general i formation of the basin of the Wakamarina is due i to different causes, viz. — the " Igneous " and then the " Aqueous " agencies. The principle axis of disturbance heads from the Wakamarina and runs northerly to the Pelorus Sound, branching in every direction to a considerable number of lesser chains of hills enclosing the several tributaries of the Wakamarina and Pelorus Rivers. The geological features of the district show that the Wakamarina as far as Havelock bear 3 more signs of an auriferous character, than the opposite and abrupt range between the Wakamarina and Pelorus, the clay slate, and sand stone formation being intersected by numerous quartz veins, some of which have been proved to be auriferous to a certain extent. A glance at the general configuration of the country shows to the observer that it has been waterworked to a great degree, and that the aqueous element has done its work in a peremptory manner. The great accumulation of drift which has filled up the whole valley as well ao many adjacent ones, is due to the agencies of the " tertiary " period, and is probably the result of a powerful submarine action. A section of the valley would show a succession of terraces from the foot of the leading ranges down to the river, and in some instances I have noticed six or seven terraces overhanging one another ; each, of them representing a different " era " of toe continual washing down of the river. The appearance of the country between the second Deep Creek (or Dead Horse Creek) and the left branch of the Wakamarina (or Donne Creek), shows that the water and deposits of detritus must have reached to a considerable height above the present bed of the river, and from the great fall of the river and the many rapids along its course, there is no doubt but that tlie old water level has been as much as 2,000 feet above the present sea level. The regularity of formation of the terraces affords a strong proof that they are the result, of a primary formation of lakes due to some accidental cause. Large slips produced by earthquakes and more often by the undermining action of water must have formed solid barriers and blocked up the ancient streams. i These basins or lakes may have existed during I many ages, and of course all the streams Tunning I into them carried detritus, and consequently in . course of time filled them up gradually with alterative layers of clay and gravel to a depth in some cases of many hundred feet. Not only one large lake was thus formed but many others of smaller size. Amongst the largest of these lakes or sheets of water, the most considerable was without doubt the present Canvas Town Flat on both sides of the river which wa3 connected with the Pelorus Sound, branching in another direction up the Kaituna Valley, and rendering the peninsula between the Pelorus and the Wairau an island. Above each present gorge of the Valley, the evident' signs 1 of the pre-existence ' of lakes of basins yet remains. At the Deep Greek junction a amall lake existed, that the water .and deposit of detritus to which did not reach higher than a certain point, is evidently proved by the fact that water course beds were lately discovered and found to bo highly auriferous jtill retaining their course in* the jpresent yalleys j whilst at the ponts where the streams corresponding with these old. beds discharged their waters at present into the Wakamarina, it runs in a more Southern direCtAbove Oeep i Creek, the detritus of large lakes are still observable and speoially at Butcher'e Point or Six mile Flat and at the Forke. The' formation of the lfi&s at the Forks in*

evidently due to tb;e falling of a large slip, the remainder of which are still visible on the surface lyings of the township terrace. Gradually afterwards the overflowing of each respective lake created the bed of the present Wakamarina and the bed of the river wearing itself in course of time deeper and deeper, caused the gradual drainage of the lakes : and thus forced the present portion of the water course situated within the apace formerly occupied by them, cutting its passage through its detritus deposit formed at their bottoms and in the upper part of Wakainarina through the bed rock wearing it to a depth of in Borne places many hundred feet. Concerning the geological character of thr country its contents are principally :— 1. Of the " Schistose "and " Quartzose "formation ; of the clay, slate, andsandstone formation intersected: by quartz, veins belonging to the "Lower Silurian "or " Cambrian " series of rocks, contorted, cleaved, and dipping at very small angles, the cleavage in some instances being nearly horizontal. , V a. Of the " Auriferous drifts " subsided into pliocene and moicene, all of " Tertiary formation," consisting of sand, clay; and gravel. The, fact that gold is. found, in payable quantities in the bed of creeki and river and in their banks, is due to a very simple "cause, the continual action of water, which in disintegrating reducing, and collecting, dispose the remains of insoluble matter in the order of their respective.: gravity and according to the" direction and effects of. the currents. It is on that principle that all the gold which is generally so far scattered is collected in "the 'shape of " veins "or "deposits " »s it is vulgarly termed, ■"■ runs " or " patches." Then it is easy to conceive now the streams are working their respective drifts when you compare to them, on a large scale the practical working of the grcund-sluicing operations, r The capabilities of the district" as a payable goldfield have already been proved by the escort returns, but not to an extent to indicate anything more than that the present watercourses are all more or less Auriferous and their workings remunerative. My experience, but not to an extent to indicate anything' mdre_ than that the present watercourses are all more or less leads me to the conclusion that there, is room here for a mining population two or three times larger than tlie present one. '- Very little has been done in terrace working yet, and tunnelling as well as sluicing prosecuted on a proper scale has never been' attempted. Timber being at hand so plentiful, these will prove moat remunerative workings, and the terraces will without doubt be worked at a cheaper rate than in Otago. I believe that good deep sinking will also be struck towards Canvas Town, on the flat between the Wftkamarina and the Pelorus. I doubt not for a moment the existence of a ■»aefc deposit of auriferous drift buried beneath, the. plain further down than that point, and tnab in course of time a lead probably wet and deep will be traced therein. This district is yet a new one for the intelligent miner. It requires only to be prospected in a proper manner, which has never been done yet. Above Deep Creek, the auriferous nature of the country is well defined, and its bearing extends more to She southern side of the river than to the northern. AH tributaries of Wakamarina on the terrace side are more or lesa auriferous, while the color of the metal can be found on the tributaries of the opposite side. From a careful examination of the country I am strongly inclined to believe that there will be " leads " of certain extent struck and remuneratively worked. There are some old creek or river l beds entirely filled up by flake detritus. After having considered the various physical features of this auriferous district, it will be essential that the estimate of the degree of activity prevailing or which ought to prevail in the different fields open to mining operations be next entertained. In fact, it is upon these physical features, that depends in great measure the kind of mining most generally adopted here, as well aa the atmospheric conditions which generally influence favorably or otherwise the " ratio " of production ; that subject will be my next theme. — Signed, Theophiltts Mabii>i,e, Q-overnment Mining Surveyor for the Pelorus Goldfields. Deep Creek, November 1, 1864.