The Palmer.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 237, 26 May 1874, Page 7

The Palmer.

The following letter dated Cooktown, April 11, was received by Mr Bishop, of the Greymouth JEvenhig Star office. The writer, Mr Charles Wilson, is well known in Greyraouth, and the information he sends may be accepted as more reliable than sensational telegrams from parties who may possibly bo interested in keeping up the excitement. The writer says:— ‘ ' “According to promise, I take this opportunity of informing you of the state of things over here. I landed in Cooktown a week ago, and as far as my limited experience permits me to judge, I can safely say there is little or nothing to warrant the rush. The present state of things is decidedly bad. There are at present in Cooktown about 4000 diggers, and about the same number a,re sqid to be on the Palmer, and the boats are arriving every day crowded with more.; What they are all going, to do is more than I can tell—except something fresh opens up, as there is little or no gold getting at present. All that was found on the river was got easy and quickly ; some parlies did very well, hut there is nothing now doing, and no show for parties coming from a distance, as by thetime they arrive the place is worked out. A party can work out a claim in three or four days, and then nothing is left but prospecting. The men at present on the Palmer could have worked out the whole of the gold-fields yet discovered in a week. Some of the first comers had to ‘undergo very great hardships, and a good number of them died under them. One man was lying on the track dead and no one took the trouble to bury him, and two