AN UP-COUNTRY TRIP.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2517, 11 March 1871, Page 2

AN UP-COUNTRY TRIP.

THE SOUTHERN GOLDFIELDS. Too much has already been done in the way of descriptive writing in the Otaso Press, that one would suppose little was left either to describe or discover ; but §o many of my predecessors in this Held have been connected with some particular district, and have been generally so liberal in panegyric,

Jl&t it Hatter myself the ex eriences of aa observer may not be wholly spinout interest or advantage. Further, however great the superiority of the equestrian in comfort and despatch, the pedestrian has the advantage in acquiring a real acquaintance with the country traversed. Taking Tokomairiro as my starting point, the lirst goldfield worthy of remark is the Wools lied, where from SO to 100 miners contrive to cam a living on very inferior ground. As many more, perhaps, are scattered in the gullies between there and the Hound Hill, some of whom make good wages, while others are content with bare “tucker.' 5 Th cse solitary fo*sickers are not unworthy of notice by the student of humanity. Whether their solitary life be the cause, or is itself bat the result of some natural eccentricity, I have always found these “hatters 5 ’ remarkable for originality of character. Living for months without any companionship save that of the cat and dog, their invariable attendants, they are driven to strange expedients to “kill the enemy. 5 ’ Most of them are great readers, carrying back to their solitudes after each visit to. a township quite a backload of printed matters. Their studies in some instances are amusing. One man with whom I was well acquainted had got possession of ah old treatise on the differential calculus, a:ul boldly commenced his mathematical studies at a point where most others are thankful to leave off. Another devoted all his leisure time to the study of Ethnology, and regularly received the proceedings of the two London Societies. Ther' was Shaudean humor _ju this Robinson Crusoe taking mankind for his peculiar study ; but however much men of this class may differ in their literary tastes, in one thing they are unanimous, and that is in visiting the nearest village whenever funds a’low it, and having a deliberate drunk. Their a vent is a joyous event to the loafing interest, for they are conservative of the old “shooting’ 5 traditions, and never cry halt until the last cooper has been molten. While these men exist Otag;. is in no danger of suffVr ng from that lack of eccculri ities so deplored by John Stuart Mill, From the Woolshed to Manuka Creek the road winds through an I over romantic gorges, which only need a drapery of f irest to make a fitting resort for the lovers of the beautiful and the subl me. Here the wayfa er finds hi nit elf close to Coombos 5 claim, which affords one of the most remarkable instances of the dips and downs of mining I have yet encountered. It is some years since Mr Coombes and several started to bring water on to their present ground, from a distance of ten miles or so. This colossal Avork was at length accomplished, but some of the mates had lost courage and left for Victoria. The work was brought to a standstill, and finally the claim, &c., was sold by , order of the Warden, and purchase I for someAvhere about L 125 by Mr Coombes. 1 Work was begun with renewed vigor, and shortly rumors of. a new Blue Spur began tq 1 circulate. Rumor for pace spoke no more ' than the truth. The lucky miners dropped 1 upon one of those belts of auriferous cement Avhich are not unfrequent in this Province ; although as yet the Blue Spur a 1 one hj< r s been profLaby worked. No sooner Avas their, good fortune known than all the surrounding ground was pegged off, and in due time a little mining toAvnship will nestle under the shadow of the formidable Round Hill. Coombes and party are rather reticent as t) tin resubs qf their washings-up ; but I understand on gqod authority that the ground ! averages a pound of gold for every 23ft. »f AA T ash.

The election for thq Superintendency is so recent that it would be an unpardonable omission did I regr.t to notice the Manuka (Jreek Load. This track was he<jun three or four years ago. in orde to save the detested hound i|l, a mountain generally known to wayfarers by a name more emphatic, if polite Successive .Secretaries of Land and Works have taken up and abandoned this desirable work, which has by these meai s been brought so near completion that a comparatively small outlay would make it passable for waggons. The last time it attracted notice was when Mr Reid, annoved by the clamours of the Dunedin unemployed, sent over three hundre 1 men to work on this road for the munificent sum of live shillings per diem. Sent them to work, quotiw, rather sent them to a sufficient distance to prevent their coming between the wind ana his nobility. A third of the number were dismissed within a w T eek, and the wages reduces to 4s Gd ; and in a few days a further reduction to 4 5 was aunouncM. This had the desired effect—tile men left, thinking independent starvation better thjin death by the patronage of the Secretary of Land and Works.

{To he continued.)