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Bald Rill Flat.— (2o/11/94) : The Excelsior Eeef is still being mined a little near the surface. Since my previous visit, and during the winter months, an adit was driven from the face of the hill a distance of 280 ft. along the track of the reef, at a level to intersect the lode at a fair prospecting depth below the lowest workings from the surface. The distance driven is through country very much broken, and consequently heavy on the timber, so much so, that the inner 80ft. has been crushed in. The size of tunnel is 6ft. by 3ft., and 2ft. 10in. between legs overhead. There was no stone taken out of the mine during the winter. At present the men are sluicing away an old land-slip on the east side of the lode, where the hill-side is very steep at the head of a small gully. The slip consists of clay_ and a quantity of loose angular schist - rock, and some quartz containing gold. The quartz is stacked to one side for future treatment at the battery. The debris carries fine gold, which is saved in the boxes at the tail-end of the cutting. The men say they get enough gold to pay them wages. B. T. Symes's Quartz-mine.— (2l/11/94) : A new adit at 130 ft. below the previous workings is now being put in from the face of the hill on the line of the lode. Some gold-bearing stone is now in sight at the end of the adit (40ft.) driven. The lode has a loose sugary appearance, and varies from 6m. to 12m. thick. It has a rather flat dip at this level, and shows gold freely. The timber is properly fitted and apparently carefully fixed in position. There are three men at work. Mr. Symes is now sole proprietor of the mine. Bendigo Quarts-mine.— {27/11/94) : Examined all the winding plant, including ropes and cages, and found them in good order. A portion of the mining now in hand is near the outcrop, midway between the battery and engine-shed, where a part of the lode was left in the early history of the mmc as not worth taking out. This stone is considered fairly payable now, and the tributers regret very much that there is not more of it in sight. They are leaving no stone behind them in the locality of the old workings near the surface, and I fear the blocks of stone left behind many years ago will soon be exhausted. The last crushing is said to have paid the tributers very well. Day Dawn Quartz-mine, Garrick Bange.— (29/11/94): This mine is now owned and worked by Lawrence Brothers. The part of the mine being worked is known as the middle level, where the lode will average about 14in. for a distance of 280 ft. along the adit from the face of the hill. The walls are remarkably solid, and stand well. There is very little timber used in the mine, and the worked-out part appears to be filled with debris before there is any movement in the side-walls to come together. The workings are quite dry, and there is a good current of air going through the mine. The battery consists of four stampers, driven by a 4ft. Pelton wheel. The pressure of water equals 250 ft., and the quantity available is from one-half to a full sluice-head. The stampers, if kept going the twenty-four hours, are capable of crushing from 25 to 30 tons per week. All the plant is in good order. The three brothers do all the work in the mine and battery. Surprise Beef, Nenthorn. —This mine is not being worked at present. The country-rock is very hard, and the lode very thin. There has not been any water to work the battery for some months past. There are very few people left in Nenthorn, and those who are there appear to be doing a perish. Bonanza Quartz-mine. —I found the battery plant shifted from the old site to the bed of the creek, a short distance below the new adit-level, and fitted in position ready for crushing when sufficient water is available to drive the Pelton-wheel and plant. The portable engine is left standing in the shed at the old site. The wheel will effect a great saving should there be, when required, a sufficient water-supply to do the work. At the time of my visit the quantity was nothing approaching what is required. The mouth of the adit is several hundred feet above the battery, to which it is intended at an early date to construct an aerial tram-line to convey the stone. The site islaid out, and the plans prepared for the plant, so that at an early date a very complete little tram will be in full swing, there being on the surface a large body of stone to operate on. There are four or five men getting stone by stoping at 150 ft. above the adit, and immediately below the old workings from the surface. An opening has been made through from the new to the old workings to lower the timber to the men, and, at the same time, to ventilate the mine. The air is good in the workings, and the timbering is well done. W. and G. Donalson's Quartz-mine. —This mine is situated in Deepdell Greek, about three miles from Macrae's. The lode is being opened on top of a ridge .or knoll, not far from the creek, but at a considerable elevation. The lode, where exposed, has been very much disturbed at some time, and, although it is found lying nearly flat in places, it is also found standing at various angles, with several lodes close by running nearly parallel, none of which, however, as far as I was able to judge, were in line with what was pointed out to me to be the main line of reef crossing the Deepdell Creek, and traceable on the opposite side on the hill for some distance. It is said the main lode is large wherever tested, and of nearly equal value to the stone crushed from the crown of the hill namely, 4dwt. per ton. This is a small yield, but the two young men say it pays them small wages, notwithstanding their having to cart it down a very steep hill, and, in winter-time, a very bad road. The battery of ten stampers was the whole plant up to quite a recent date, when they purchased a second-hand Huntington mill of sft. in diameter and a rock-breaker, which are now being fixed in position by the side of the stampers. There are also two of Wheeler's concentratingpans in position. The Pelton wheel is 6ft. in diameter, and it is said the quantity of water in the creek in winter-time is from fifteen to twenty heads. When the battery plant is completed it will be capable of crushing between 3,000 and 4,000 tons of stone per annum, provided the required watersupply be maintained. The plant will be completed early in 1896. In order to secure a more lasting supply of water, the present head-race is to be extended and otherwise improved at an early date. There are said to be about 150 tons of stone ready to be carted to the battery. A quantity of scheelite is found in the quartz lode and in the bed of the creek below the line of reef. I suggested the expediency of constructing an aerial tram-line from the hill to the battery—probably a mile long—but was told that the necessary funds were not just now available. If hard work and perseverance will secure success, then these young men are bound to succeed.