ASHBURTON GOLD PROSPECTING ASSOCIATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1329, 18 November 1885, Page 2

ASHBURTON GOLD PROSPECTING ASSOCIATION.

One of the prospectors seat oat by the Ashburton Gold Prospecting Association has supplied os with the following particulars of the attempt to find gold in the back ranges : The members of the prospecting party, with horses, trap, provisions and necessary tools congregated at Booth’s cutting, Mount Somers on Monday, October 19 Early the following morning we struck camp and started for Olent Hills. At a stone crossing near the coal pit one spring of the trap was broken, an ominous com menoement for a somewhat hazardous undertaking. The wrecked condition of the trap made it necessary for two members of the party to walk, while the third drove the vehicle through the Ashburton Gorge. The party reached Olent Hills station about 2pm-, and were most hospitably receded by Mr Harrison, after a very tedious journey. Having temporarily | repaired the trap and arranged our quarters or the night, we walked to the hills ito seeiftherewereanyindicationsof quartz n that neighborhood. Snow commenced to fall before we had proceeded far, and we were compelled t~> return. On rising the next morning we found the ground covered by snow, but from the view we «Ula fn AVtfatn nf fftA ■tippAiin^Sni)

country we utisfied ourselves that the fall was purely a local one, and starting shortly after 9 am. we pushed on to Lake Heron. At the Boundary Creek we loft the snow behind os, and at a point a little further on stopped to feed the horses, the poor animals, old and ill-conditioned, already beginning to show themselves totally unfit for the work allotted to them During the halt one of the party wont down to the Lake Heron homestead with letters and papers from O’-ent Hills, and brought back some meat kindly supplied by Mr Mere wether. After the horses were a little rested a start was made for the Lake stream. The road was exceedingly rough, and in some places we were compelled to give the horses what assistance we could in steadying the trap. Mounting one incline, rather steeper than the roof of an ordinary house the harness broke, and the trap as a matter of course tipped up. Having re-arranged matters we struggled on and ultimately reached a hut. where we found good feed for the horses and the means of making ourselves tolerably comfortable. Next morning one member of the party took the trap through the Lake stream gorge Into the Bskaia, and the others sought the same destination by crossing the hills.: The Raka<a was reached without any serious mishap having occurred, _ . • * __ j *iL

and the river was crossed with some difficulty. We proceeded down the west side of the stream for about seven miles and then stopped and fed the horses. The same evening we reached the Manuka point, whore wo found a hut occupied by millions of voracious fleas and hundreds of impudent rats The rats appeared to take a keen interest in the distribution of>*he provisions, and the fleas enjoyed what was probably their first square meal for many months. We rose next morning without much reluctance, and started for Paddock Flat, a number of the smaller inhabitants emigrating with us. Having reached the Paddock Flat, about II miles up the Mathias, we crossed the river and camped —finding lots of capital grass for the horses. Rain came on from the nor’ west in the evening and the two following days—Saturday and Sunday—we were detained at the camp by the weather. On Monday, October 26, a strong wind was blowing, with rain in gorge, and high river. Two members of the party made an excursion up a small creek running into the Mathias, but noticed nothing of importance. The night was rough and bitterly cold,and rain fellall the folio wing day Wednesday was fine, but early in the morning

one of the horses was found “cast,” and the poor brute appearing to bo beyond hope of recovery it was determined to shoot him. Having performed this melancholy duty we moved up to the Junction, about six miles further on, and crossed the West branch, the water being just deep enough to permit our passage Having rearranged our tent, two of the party walked up the west branch in "search of beef. They saw a herd of cattle on the opposite side of the river, but were unable to cross over to obtain a shot. They left the rifle and made their way to the next junction about two miles higher up. The country in this locality has altered very much since 1877, when One of the party visited it. At that time the stream was not more than four feet wide. It is now fully a chain wide and paved with immense boulders, some of them 50 or 60 tons in weight. A quantity of quartz was visible, but none of it gave any indication of gold. Rain came on and the party reached camp after dark. The next day broke beautifully fine, and revealed a herd of cattle on the opposite side of the river. One of the party Tossed, and by crawling some distance got within range and secured a very well conditioned heifer. The animal was dressed and the prime parts brought into camp The blow-flies, of which there are untold multitudes in this secluded spot, enjoyed an unaccustomed feast. The next cay the camp was moved op to the approach to the Cannon Gorge, and wo surveyed the Gorge Itself. The country was very rough, and to make any progress it was necessary to jump from rook to rock, and in many places to wade in the river waist high. We then made for Dobson’s track, and reached the ropes hanging over the cliff, left there to enable travellers to scale the face of the rock.

when a fog settled down and we were compelled to return as speedily as possible. We reached camp drenched to the skin, with no dry clothes to put on. We lit a fire, but it was soon extinguished by the heavy rain, and we rolled ourselves in our blankets and made the best of a very miserable night. The next morning we pat on oar wet clothes—far from a cheerful process—and went down to our last camp for a further supply of provisions, We left the horse at this camp, where there was batter grass, and carried up supplies to the Gannon Gorge. Very heavy rain from the nor’-west fell the next day and the succeeding morning showed a coat of snow twelve Inches deep on the ground. Snow continued to fall all that day, and although the next was fine travelling was impossible. We remained in camp and saw several magnificent avalanches; the river very high. On November 5 two of the party shifted camp down to the west branch hoping to find a pass in that direction. The third member

[ of the party refuted to afford any assis* tanoe. A supply of provisions was left in a cask at Gannon Gorge. The track was reached by climbing up a shingle slip, but our progress was very slow and tedious as the {ground was still covered with snow and in many places the track had disappeared. After a most toilsome journey we reached the lower camp, where we found the third member of the party who had declined to assist in the retreat but had made this way to camp by a less difficult route. The next day rain again fell, but two of the party explored the west branch. After proceeding about six mites one of the explorers fell and in*

jured his arm and thigh very severely, this necessitated a return, and the river rising very rapidly much of the journey bad to be accomplished by crawling on onr hands and knees through the scrub on the aide of the hill, the river running from bank to bank At daybreak the next morning we left for the trap camp, and the river was crossed with great difficulty. Heavy rain from the sou’-west fell during the afternoon and we |Jwere situra.ed on completely the day's journey. The next morning was beantUnUy fine w 4 Wf

dried on' wet things. The remaining horse was found dead, lying In the scrub, probably frozen to death. We packed op the provisions and plant and stored them in the trap. The discontented member of the party started to walk to M«nwl>s Point, the others built a rough raft which carried them about two miles down the river when it was abandoned and the journey completed on foot. The whole party met at Manuka Point shortly before dark. On November)!# we crossed the river to Double Hill Station, where we spent the n ! ght. The neat day made Blaovford Station, and leaving there early the following morning reached Methven in time to take the evening train to Ash* burton.