MOUNT BENGER.

Evening Star, Issue 3031, 6 November 1872, Page 4

MOUNT BENGER.

(From our own correspondent.) It is a grievous misfortune that this country is so small. Not to mention the danger to sleep-walkers of falling over the sich*;3, it is a continual check on scribblers endowed with a vivid imagination. Did a few thousand miles distance lend enchantment to the view, I should horrors on horror’s head accumulate, and weekly regale your readers with descriptions of wealth worthy of the “Arabian Nights.” As things stand I must be content with my humble lot, and proceed To tickle fools and chronicle small beer. I devoutly thank the gods for the weather. It is a subject utterly inexhaustible, stale as Mr Stafford’s policy, and fresh as the new Ministry. To chronicle all its varying phases throughout the past month would need volumes, but the prevailing characteristic—wind—it shares with inembms of Assembly. The river has risen and fallen several times : it is now about its summer level, and still falling. Of course all the claims are knocked off, and the hearts of the publicans are cast down. There have been several sharp rain storms, and snow has fallen on the ranges. As for things agricultural, I am rather in the dark ; the fields look green, but with what particular cereal deponent knoweth not. At present the dnri ayrtstes, i.c., the sturdy cockatoos are planting potatoes, a most valuable crop, considering that here, as in Ireland—thanks to the Chinese—the pigs pay the “rint.” And talking of Chinese reminds me that those heathens have been at it again. Robbing sluice-boxes appears to be a recognised Celestial industry, and, judging by the mild penalties inflicted, its pursuit is likely to employ an increasing population. lu the cases which recently occurred at the Tcviot, nine months was considered a sufficient punishment. I expect the miners will in future seek redress for their grievance from an Irish Judge—“ which his name” is Lynch. Dredging, I am glad to see, is attracting considerable attention, although from the utterly unpractical and impracticable nature of the majority of the schemes, I suspect the result will be to frighten capitalists from having anything to do with what is a safe and remunerative, though perhaps not pilegiving speculation. I shall, when the humor seizes me intrude on your space for a few remarks on this same dredging. I have good opportunities to arrive at conclusions in the matter, partly from personal observation, but chiefly from conversation with the most experienced hands at this kind of work. One thing is pretty certain, the gold is by no means quite so plentiful as the more sanguine imagine, except in crevices which may be dropped on at once, or just as probably be prospected for years without success.