✨ Survey Report
SOUTHLAND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.
Published by Authority.
Vol. 2.] SATURDAY, 2ND APRIL, 1864. [No. 12.
CHIEF SURVEYOR’S REPORT ON STEWART’S ISLAND.
February 15th, 1864.
SIR,—I proceeded on the 26th ult. to explore Stewart’s Island with a view to obtain some general knowledge of the character of the land on it, and to ascertain what steps it would be necessary to take for the survey of the whole, or portions of it.
For these purposes I went round the Island in a boat, landing at a great many points and striking inland, and ascending the hills wherever the extremely difficult character of the country permitted. The broken and irregular outline of the shore, and the many islands which fringe it, afford boat harbours on almost every part of the coast, which greatly facilitate such an excursion, though the great strength of the tides, and the prevalence of westerly gales, cause a heavy sea off the salient points, especially off the Southern Capes, as to make it hazardous, except in a very good boat, and with skilful management.
The whole island consists of primary rocks, felspar being by far the predominant material. Some of the hills of the interior I found to consist of granite (in one case a singularly beautiful red syenitic granite), and the hills generally have the conical form and boldly rounded outlines common to the granite hills of Europe; but near the coast large dykes occur, of almost pure felspar, intersected by veins of quartz, and with a few small crystals only of mica and hornblende thinly scattered through it. In some parts, especially in the south, mica and talc abound so much that it might be called talcose rock.
Rocks of this character are by no means unlikely to yield gold. Everywhere I found embedded in the felspar minute crystals of zircon, and the sands contained titanate of iron and a number of small green gems, which from their form, and from their having a specific gravity much greater than that of quartz, I take to be euclase.
As might be expected, the decomposition of these rocks gives rise to a very
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Southland Provincial Gazette 1864, No 12
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
🗺️ Chief Surveyor's Report on Stewart's Island
🗺️ Lands, Settlement & Survey15 February 1864
Survey, Stewart's Island, Geology, Gold, Minerals
- Chief Surveyor