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Southland Times, Issue 705, 5 August 1867, Page 2

The " Grey Biver Argus" notices a remarkable curiosity in the way of gold discoveries. It is simply a stick, or branch, or rootlet (apparently of red pine), of about 13 inches in length, and perhaps six inches in circumference, much contorted and -water-worn, in which are imbedded a number of nuggets and specks of gold, besides a good-sized pebble or two, which are also thickly incrusted with a kind of scaly coating of the precious metal. There is one little nugget, particularly, so placed and of such a size and shape, a3 to remind one exactly of the breast-pin in a very quiet old gentleman's cravat. Under every little knob or crevice in the wood, where there is a slight cavity for the gold to lodge, there gold is to be seen. It is much indurated, as though it had been subjected to heavy pressure, and shows no appearance whatever of an approach towards petrefaction. It was brought down to the "Warden's office at Cobden, from Blackball, where it was found by a man who was burning drift-wood. After having burnt a considerable quantity his attention was attracted by a glittering appearance in a piece he was chopping, and he was induced to wash the ashes of the wood he had previously been burning when he had succeeded in washing out 2 dwtsHe then picked out the piece which we are describing as a specimen, and found it so remarkable as to think it well worth preserving. Its appearance would suggest the theory of its having lain in the bottom of a stream, over which the gold was flowing, and which has been forced into the interstices of the wood while it was in a comparativly soft condition, and that it has since become hardened by the pressure of the deposits that have been formed above it. This curious piece of auriferous timber might worthily claim for itself the title of ono of Planches prettiest extravaganzas, " The G-olden Branch," It is stated in a Victorian paper that, at the Moorabool ploughing match dinner, held last week, nothing but colonial wine was placed on the table. These were Chasselas from the vineyard of Dr. Hope, and Hermitage from that of Mr. Tissot. This is the first occasion of the kind in Victoria at which the wines drunk were limited to the produce of the Colony ,