BENDIGO.

Cromwell Argus, Volume II, Issue 102, 24 October 1871, Page 6

BENDIGO.

(From our own Correspondent,) October 18. The late lamented Charles Dickens is said to have remarked that a good Australian novel wquM'b&jlifficuit to write, as it was a country of no recollections. ■ Now, however necessary such adjuncts.are to the writers of fiction, I fancy thoy are hardly suited to tho rule of matter-of-fact newspaper correspondents; and yet, if matters continue in their present train, I shall have little else to place before your readers, in the quartz-reefing lino. Of all the companies with high-sounding titles and grand expectations which flourished a while ego, engrossing the attention of tho whole Province, but two are now at work—the Cromwell and Colclough Companies : that excelsior of reefs, the Alta, having succumbed to a succession of small " cakes." The Company have suspended operations, when to be resumed, deponent knoweth not. Hore is food for reflection ! A splendid plant, newly erected, with everything necessary for carrying on work extensively and economically, hastily brought to a standstill for the sake of a further expenditure of a few hundreds, which would make or mar their prospects beyond the shadow of a doubt. It is to be hoped the Company will seriously consider this matter before giving way to despair; after all their outlay it would be suicidal to give up further search summarily. The Colclough Company' 3 prospects continue to improve. Tho reef has widened to two feet, and looks well; so I hope soon to hear of their perseverance being rewarded by a good washing-up, as their mill is busy at the work of disintegration.

The Cromwell Company are grassing pn immense quantity of stone, both in their own lease and the Golden Link claim. The improved appliances for raising the quartz are making themselves sensibly felt. The stone in the lease at a depth of 140 ft. to 100 ft. looks very rich, and the reef is from one to two feet in width at present, and is rapidly widening. I therefore think we may fairly assume that the permanence of this lode is established. The Rise and Shine Company, in view of do many failures, have wisely determined to

thoroughly pi'ospect their discovery before erecting machinery. The present shaft is to be sunk to a depth of 50ft., and another is to

be put down on the rise of the rango, some distance away. Should the reef hold in these two with the present prospects, my conclusion

would be tluit the forfcunute shareholders would Bm and Shine indeed. The Thompson's Creek reef is in atain quo. I have often wondered, knowing the prospects, that it has not gone ahead ere this ; hut my wonder litis been abated by the information that tiie working .shareholders are possessed by a sort of " dog-in-manger" feeling, as, being unable pecuniarily to provide the necessary maoliinary, &e., they decline to allow anyone else to do so., except on such outrageous terms as preclude the possibility of an amicable arrangement. However, the great physician, Time, has cured worse cases than this. Halcrow and party, in the Deep Lead, have completed their tramway, and have commenced washing-up : the next escort will be sensibly affected.

Hazlett and party have commenced sluicing near Ardgour Station, with good prospects. They arc also"contiuuing tho Aurora race to the Lindis terraces. They have evidently some slight belief in the paying nature of the ground, as they have gone to a great expense to test it.

Alldread and party have not yet completed their race from Bendigo to the terraces on the Clutha, it being more difficult than was at first calculated.

As I hinted.in my last letter, the Philistines, in the shape of the " Heathen Chinee," are upon- us. They are flitting here, and there, : and everywhere, ''thick as leaves in Val'ombrosa" ; and an uglier set of Chinaware it is impossible to conceive. They bring forcibly to my'mind Or Darwin's theory of man's descent from a vegetable ; for I have seen the same expression with as much variety in a heap of cocoannts exposed for sale, as is exhibited by our unwelcome visitors. It is said that every man has to do penance in this world to a certain extent : I believe the peculiar penance of the European 'miner is this " Celestial" visitation, and seemingly he will have to " grin and bear it."' The weather has been very capricious for the past ten days. We have had a taste of every known variety in that time, —rain, hail, Know, sunshine,- wind, thunder and lightning; making altogether such a medley as would test the constitution of a bronze horse, I am surprised that there is not more sickness ; it does not seem to .atfect-the population of this place much, so thafc r like "eels to tho skin•.ninot," i suppose we will get used to it. £ A meeting was', held at GtfodalPa Hotel, Wakefield, this 'evening, to consider tho best stops to be taken \o. furnish annisomont for

tho Christmas week. A. Rwso Mooting iitnl Caledonian Sports wcro determined 0:1 atj a previous meeting: tho only work, thercforo, for this ono was to arrange the preliminaries; and it was decided to appoint a Committee, which being done, printed lists for subscription were ordered to be issued." The money so collected will bo given for races, equine a;id pedestrian. The only drawback to the matter turning out a success is the division of the places at which the various events are to come off; the horso-racing to be at Wakefield, and the sports at I believe, like the Yorkshireman, in •' keeping tho money in the family" ; but at the same time would recommend to the directors of the amusements a study of tho proverb, "A house divided, &c."