Sunday, 22nd June 1851
Set off early and before it was dark we had encamped beyond the tents of Mr. Stutchbury near the auriferous river of Frederick’s Valley.  Found in a dyke a trap rock near where we had pitched our tents, basaltic columns indicating that there, the trap rock so abundant in these parts, had been erupted.

Monday, 23rd June 1851
Rode with Mr. Davidson and guided by “Tommy Came First” to the Diggings by keeping near the banks of Lewis’s Ponds Creek.  Selected the site for the township of “Ophir” and set Mr. Davidson to work.  My son and I afterwards looked at the diggings and walked up from the junction several miles.  In general the diggers said they were not successful.