BENDIGO.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 178, 8 April 1873, Page 6

BENDIGO.

—«— (From our own Curresptn lent.) April 5, 1873. As your readers are probably surfeited with speculations on the weather, I shall say very little about it, merely venturing a hope that more rain may soon make its appearance, or gold-mining—in this part of the world, at least—will become an obsolete pursuit. No news is said to be good news in some cases, and if your clients agree to accept the axiom in this instance, they will have reason to bo highly satisfied with this contribution, as I have literally none to give. The gentleman alluded to in a former communication who predicted rain, floods, &c, in consequence of a certain amount of humidity being discoverable in his sugar, evidently disappointed his backers ; and 1 do not think this community will say to him, as the soothsayer's dog said to his master who starved and beat him, " more prog-no-sticks." There has been quite a furore of late among my neighbours for prognosticating—all about the same subject, the advent of rain ; and as in every instance " the wish was father to the thought," with many a prayer thrown in, it is singular that the clerk of the weather has not condescended to open the flood-gates. Perhaps, as miners are generally accounted a graceless set, it may be that "the prayers of tie wicked avail not." Will some other "persuasion" try their hand ? Winter will soon bo here, and great suffering is likely to be caused to that useful class, the storekeepers, who, to their credit be it spoken, have not allowed their ink to dry up, notwithstanding the drought. The repairs to the Cromwell Co.'s mill are nearly completed, and great improvements have been effected, but until the water races are again flowing there will be no opportunity of testing their utility. An immense quantity of stone has been raised in the interim, sufficient to last through the winter. Considerable depths are now reached in the mine—2lo to 230 feet,—and the stone shows as yet no diminution, exploding the belief current among miners (!) that New Zealand reefs " cut out" at short distances from the surface. The Aurora Co.'s mill is still idle. They have also a splendid paddock of stone, and the newly-discovered continuation of the reef near the surface looks remarkably well; but until crushing operations arc resumed I refrain from venturing an opinion upon its merits,—as a Cockney friend of mine remarks, " Happearances are wery deceivin'." Anderson and Co. have a trial crushing ready, of 24 tons, to which the above remarks will also apply.

The Lucknow tunnel is slowly penetrating the bowels of the earth. The men engaged are certainly progressing, but that is all that can be said about the matter. The rock continues extremely hard, and from its position is very difficult to blast. Powder takes but small effect. At the present rate of progression, a year may be expected to elapse ere the lode is reached. Alas ! poor Bendigo. Mr M'Lean's run is being securely " wired i:i" by iron fences, and the " braw Highland lads" who now tend the flocks upon the hills of Morven will shortly find their occupation, like Othello's, gone. Those playthings for the sturdy (!) miners, Mining Associations, do not appear to meet with extraordinary support, in spite of their novelty,—and indeed I do not wonder at it if their ostensible business is to get the goldfields " out of the frying pan into the fire"' by a change of government from Provincial to General. That question, I imagined, was settled long ago,—died and was buried. If the Mining Associations can find no better occupation than resurrecting such a grievance, the sooner they are dead and buried also the better, say I. I am obliged for your kindly notice of my late misfortune, and I console myself with the rather selfish consolation that there were heavier losses lately in Chicago and Boston. Had I been other than a miner, I might have made on appeal ad misericordiam; but as a man, especially if he be a miner, needs little " here below," like Bruce's spider I will give the ascent another trial, and with " a stout heart to the steep brae," begin afresh. • .