CROMWELL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 336, 2 October 1868, Page 2

CROMWELL.

(FROM OUR OWX CORRESFONDENT.) September 28. Tis nothing short of cruelty to expect a letter from your own correspondent this week, who is driven fairly desperate as the time approaches for despatching it, f, r want of material to dilate upon, when there are no events to chronicle, or news of any description to relate, what can be done but to sink into ignominious silence and become forgotten, or crossing the confine of practical reality, enter into the limitless region of imagination and ideality. While leaving this question for future consideration, or for your readers to discuss Let us stroll through the town and to quote the memorable words of an ever worthy exMajor, sec the “ Scenes of Sights” and the “Sights of Scenes” that here await tho Traveller or Nature’s Student—let us stand on the bridge- the bridge “par excellence” not so beautiful certainly or clothed with old historic memories as its ancient Sister of "Sighs” thousands of miles away, but in its way equally worthy of notice from its picturesquencss and surroundings of natural savage grandeur, perched upon jutting craigs it spans the Clutha at its junction with the Kawarau, let us lean over tho parapet and gaze up along the waters of th» swift Clutha as they come roaring towards us, its remarkable ocean-like color changing hero and there to an intense whiteness where lashed into fury, when impeded in its onward course by some jagged rock which for ages has been imperceptibly, but no less surely, wasting away before the ceaseless combat; for a moment scan tho steep face of tho Dunstan Range that here rises from the river to the height of three or four hundred feet scarred and marked by confused masses of overhanging rocks and landslips, Turn wc now to the other side, and again looking down over the low parapet behold (he glassy-like pool where for a

time the Clutha forgetful of its turbelent career, or as if hesitating to mingle its pure water with the sluice-stained Kawarau a few yards lower down sinks into momentary tranquility. Even after it joins you can perceive that it ke'eps its own course for some distance down the stream, until eventually it becomes submerged in the mud-de-filed Kawarau. Let us re-cross the bridge and return to the town; no visible signs of life, the sun shines lazily over the dusty street; the usual digging township street, built along each side of the main road, as if the .very houses had been themselves at one time, with adventurous life, but tired of fwagging, and foot-sore, had here while on the tramp paused to camp and forever remained. Where are the inhabitants ! They are either asleep or too lazy to show themselves; the silence is broken only by the clear metallic ring of the Blacksmith's hammer on the anvil as we walk on and distance mellows the sound, it grows quit e musical—He at least is not asleep, but evidently wide awake and intent on his work, which, if profitable, must be profitable indeel because it is incessant. Wearily the eye turns from this dull prospect, and traversing space with the rapidity of thought, alights i:i the far distance on the towering pinnacles of the Itemarkables, their snow-clad spires glittering in the sunlight so prominently conspicuous against the blue and cloudless sky. When just indulging in a reverie at the charming prospect thus displayed before me the visions I called up were rude'y dispelled by the harsh sound of hammering, that no distance (unless perfect) could modify or subdue. Curious to see from whence it proceeded, I found that a building was in course of erection, so contiguous to the Palace of Justice (a "loose box" in (he last stage of decay) that it completely overlaps and enshrouds it. This building not the "loose box" is intended for an hotd. The enterprising proprietor no doult builds his hopes, in a great measure upon the unquenshable thirst of hcate 1 litigants, who have from time immemorial made up their quarrels or renew them over the sparkling cup. It has been suggested, I have since found out, that a pipe or two can be laid on to the building used as a Court House, so that those who cannot leave may not he debarred from necessary refreshment. lam sure the suggestion seems a sensible one. Seriously, it is high time a suitable Court House was erected, and should our citizens bestir themselves in the matter let it be placed, not cheek by jowl with publichouses, but in its fitting place, the Camp, where sitc3 enough are available. There are but few topics at present before V~e public here. Among the chief, however, may be enumerated the commonage question a'nl the insufficiency of the watersupply. I; would be wis;: just now to refrain from entering upon the merits of these important subjects, which are vitally bound up with the interests of the district, until certain matters in connexion with them (now in abeyance) are settled. In a future communication I trust to be in a position to open up the subject at length. We have been honored (?) by the visit of two peripatetic special reporters for the " Otago Daily Times," who arc travelling through the goldfields in the interests of that paper. Surely no country on the face of the Earth should be so well known as O ago, for its very soil has been written out of it. Since the first days of the "Rush " to its shores, no Gully is too remote, no lonely creek remains now unexplored, both one and the other have been plucked from their solitude to the light of garish day, to bo stared at in u iform typo in the columns of the Press. Mr. A. D. Harvey, an old and experienced Officer of the Goldfields has been transferred here from Clyde "to be stationed amongst us.