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49/12
His Honor
The Superintendent

Melbourne 22d. February 1849

Sir,
I have the honor to report that in compliance with
your Honor’s instructions of the 7th. February, I proceeded to
the neighbourhood of the Pyrenees, and found that some
thirty or forty people had congregated at an out station
of Mesrs. Hall & McNeill, called Daisy Hill 10 miles west of
the Deep Creek (one of the branches of the River Loddon) which
is the locality pointed out by Mr. Duchene as the spot to
which the shepherd conducted Brentani and himself.

The people who were searching for gold had a
variety of implements - Pick-axes. Shovels. Hoes, &c, and
for the purpose of carrying away the treasure, large baskets
Saddle bags &c.

Immediately the Police arrived, every one left the station
and I have no reason to think they found a single piece
of

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of gold.

I rode about the ranges, and tracked a cart to a place
where the ground had been dug up, but not to any depth:-
not being a mineralogist I am unable to form an opinion
as to the probability of gold being found there, but I have
brought home specimens of the formation which is chiefly
Sandstone & Quartz.

The shepherd who accompanied Messr. Brentani &
Duchene is named Thomas Chapman, he was some time
in the service of Messr Hall & McNeill, and chiefly employed
at the Daisy Hill station:- he gave Mr Hale a small piece
of gold last August, which appears very similar to the
gold in the quartz shewn to your Honor by Mr. Duchene,
and stated to have been bought by him of the shepherd.

I have left a Sergeant and a party of Native Police at
the Daisy Hill Station to prevent any unauthorised occupation
of Crown Lands in the neighbourhood, but it remains now
for your Honor to decide what further steps should be taken
in the matter.

There seems to be some mystery about the shepherd
Thomas Chapman, who is generally supposed to have gone
to Sydney, perhaps the only way to get at him would be
to offer a reward according to the value of the information
given to the authorities, not to exceed a certain sum.

In my opinion there is little doubt that the gold in
the possession of Messr. Bentani & Duchene was found in
the neighbourhood of the Daisy Hill Station by the shepherd
Thomas Chapman, and I think it [crossed out: my duty] very doubtful
whether he has taken any person to the spot, as I believe
he has told different stories to various people.

I have &c
Sd. F. A. Powlett