Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/122

 96 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The Husbandmen first Treasurer, was an exceedingh' popular and worthy official, and Glen Osmond and Gilles Plains were named after him. In 1841. the South Australian Mining Association was formed to work the Wheal Gawler Silver and Lead Mine near Glen Osmond, and a sample of ore sent to England assayed at a high percentage. A copper lode was also discovered on the Onkaparinga. a beautiful stream winding among the hills ; and other discoveries were made on the Mount Lofty Ranges, and were worked for some years. The first important discovery of copper that was to bring wealth and population to South Australia was made on a station at Kapunda in 1842. Mr. V. S. Dutton, one of the discoverers, in his history tells the story: "The first discovery of the ore was by the youngest son of Captain Bagot whilst gathering wild flowers on the plain. Shortly Thk Burra in 1857 afterwards, not far from the same spot, I ascended the top of a small hill to view the .surrounding country. One of our flocks had been dispersed during a thunderstorm, and I hid been out nearly the whole of the day in drenching 'rain in search of them. The spot where I pulled up my horse was beside a protruding mass of clay slate. My first impression was that the rock was covered with a beautiful green moss ; but on dismounting and breaking off a piece it proved to be green carbonate of copper." The two places were in close proximity, and "a complete wilderness." The discoveries were kept secret ; sections were applied for in conformity with the regulations, and it was ascertained that the .specimens were " undoubtedly copper ore." Messrs. Bagot and Dutton became the purchasers at the fixed Government price for waste lands of /^ per acre. The site lay about 45 miles from Adelaide, and there the town of Kapunda arose. Cornish miners were procured, and " it soon became evident that the mine was of unusual value." The promoters at first thought that they had taken in all