68 ounces in eight days, one 8 ounces in a week, and two persons 6 ounces 46 grains in five days. By the 17th one thousand persons were declared to be at Buninyong and its neighbourhood. Mr. G. H . Wathen returned from a two months' tour northward of Buninyong, between Avoca and Mount Alexander, and everywhere he went he heard rumours of gold discoveries. A party of m e n had settled in a spot—a small secluded valley in the vicinity of M o u n t Alexander, only one mile west of the Melbourne and Swan Hill Road, where they found gold in quartz veins traversing primary clay and mica slate. These strata were nearly vertical, and running north and south. T h e quartz was more rotten, and therefore more easily worked than at Clunes, and was, if anything, richer. T h e range where this was found was a prolongation of that of which Buninyong formed part. T h e Buninyong field was set down as one of the heads of the Leigh, which rises in Warrenheip, and forms a junction with Buninyong Gully, about six miles from the township. Towards the close of the month Ballarat burst forth in all its golden glories, and its diggings completely outshone all the others. T h e finds were abundant and general, and the diggers were so satisfied, and in such good humour with themselves and all the world, that they were willing to pay the obnoxious license fee, but they besought the Government to give them some police protection. By the 24th September one hundred and sixty licenses were taken out, and annexed is a copy of the first issued there :— VICTORIA GOLD LICENSE, 21ST SEPTEMBER, 1851.
No. The bearer, , having paid to m e the sum offifteenshillings on account of the Territorial Revenue, I hereby license him to dig, search for, and remove gold on and from the district of Buninyong and Loddon, as I shall assign to him for that purpose, during the month of September, 1851. The quantity of ground allowed is eight feet square. T h e license to be produced when demanded by m e , or any other person acting under the authority of Government. F. C. D O V E T O N , Commissioner.
On 23rd September, Lieutenant Lydiard and twelve black troopers were despatched to the diggings.
FURTHER REGULATIONS.
Supplementary instructions were issued by the Executive on Michaelmas Day (29th September). This step was declared to be taken " consequent upon the recent undoubted discovery of gold in the vicinity of Buninyong to a considerable extent." It was ordered that the " Permission cards" were to be totally discontinued, and licenses must be issued to all persons employed in digging for gold, at the rate specified in the notice of the 18th August. Anything like the transfer of a license from one person to another was forbidden, and to be prevented as far as possible, for which purpose a personal description of the licensee, sufficient to enable detection, was to be inserted on the counterpart of the books from which the license forms were obtained. T h e licensee was to be instructed to have the license constantly with him, which he was to be frequently called on to produce, and reference m a d e to the counterpart to ascertain if the appearance of the holder agreed with the recorded description. Certain licenses were to be issued at each person's workings instead of attendance at a stated place, and the fee, when not paid in money, was to consist of pure washed gold, at the rate of ^ 3 per ounce, to be weighed in the scales furnished. A constant inspection of the workings was to be kept up to ascertain "that there are no n e w comers without licenses, and that order and regularity are preserved," in which duties the Commissioner's assistants were also to be employed. A conveyance for the gold, under escort to Melbourne and Geelong, was about to be established, and the Commissioner was to give security in the joint bond of himself, and two sureties for ^2,000 each. Several other matters were to claim constant attention, viz., a description of persons w h o m a y not be permitted to work, particularly servants w h o have left their masters without a discharge, the extent of space to be allowed to each licensee upon an equitable principle according to the apparent richness of the soil, the suppression of any attempted gambling, drinking, or any other vices and irregularities, and maintaining good order and good feeling among the workers, upon which no especial directions could be given, as they were matters BBB 2
