THE PALMER.

Evening Star, Issue 3778, 3 April 1875, Page 3

THE PALMER.

(From an Old Otagan.)

February 10. If the Palmer goldfields engross as much of the attention of the Otago" public now as they did some months ago, a little insight into the real state of affairs here may not be without interest to your readers. I left New Zealand about last September, with a number of others filled with high expectations, raised by the exaggerated accounts published, of making a bit of a rise in this country; but can only report Eto the present time ignominious fai ure. iving landed in Cooktown, we were assailed with the pleasant news tliat no pfold——or very little—was being got, and that ail those who were possessed of sufficient funds to go south for the approaching wet season were leaving as fast as they could. Nothing daunted, two of our party went straight up country, 'with the view of reconnoitring, and in a short time one of them returned, with the report that until the wet season was over there was no chance of doinganything inthe locality of the old workingon the Palmer. The rush to the Normanby River was then at its height, and, sceinnothing better offering, we packed up am; trudged off to the diggings, a distance fron Cooktown of some seventy-five miles Then- b a population here of about 1,000 men, and ai times there are many more ; but all are discontented, and if the weather would hut hold uo for a few days, the majority would travel ir search of “fresh fields,” &c. I am certainly not understating affairs here when I tell yon that not 10 per cent, are making tucker. Thu wet, which Has now fairly set in, has risen all the rivers and creeks where one might haw knocked out a “ weight” or two, and the conse quence is that the men are compelled to ban about in idleness, as fossicking will not pnv for the expenditure of boot leather. The comparatively dry ravines and gullies which abound in this district have nearly all been well prospected, and turned out duffers, and tin general opinion seems to he that we are out of the line of payable gold, which runs more towards the Palmer and its numerous tributaries. Ihe only decent specimens of the precious metai which have been unearthed in this place came either from the Prospectors’ Creek or the bed , riv , er » wberP ifc was got between of slate, which traverse the surface hoWever > this has been Sfmfa, 3 ! th i® water - matters look really Snrtlv +L d UII -n ® om °thing breaks out very Shortly, there will, I am afraid, be -reat sufferare leaving for the Palmer, n tbey C 3?? e ’ but ik * only com par:.: tive y few who are able to do so as the riverr form an insuperable obstacle to’ the majority Jam camped with some thirty others on the

nght-hand bank of the Normanby, unable to cross, and as the butcher is on the other side, we have to restrain our carniverons propensities, and live on hope, damper, and tea, varied occa sionally by rice, potatoes, and other light food, and pray for the river to lower. There is some talk of a little gold getting at a place twelve miles from here, on this side of the water, and T intend to start away at once, though at best, I hear, only tucker is to be made there. From all parts of the country u e hear the san e melancholy strain: “Properly worked out,” “Nobody there but Chinamen,” “Flooded out,” and other equally hopeful particulars calculated to inspire one with not very sanguine expectations as to the chance of making a “pile.” One thing is certain, no gold will be got in any quantity until the dry weather comes round again about May next, and it is uncertain even then that anything great in the alluvial will be found. The existence of payable reefs has, however, been proved, and no doubt they will ultimately be worked to advantage ; but not for some time yet, as the country is a perfect wilderness, without roads, bridges, or any other marks of civilization, and the transport of machinery over most of the ground would be simply impossible. Let me caution any Otago men, who may be meditating coming here, to reflect well before they start. The road to the Palmer and here is dotted with the graves of men —a large proportion New Zealanders —who were once strong, and able to do the work of a horse, but who had to succumb to the hardships of Northern Queensland. The majority of them started on their respective journeys totally unequipped, and with heavy swags and empty pockets were unable to procure proper food, without which a man cannot work here, and have paid the penalty of their rashness. No man should come here without horses and a bit of money, so as to be able to prospect for himself, and carry a month’s tucker with him, and then he may stand a chance of doing a little; but anyone coming, as a great number have done, unprepared, is doing very little short of committing suicide, and cannot expect to succeed. As to the blacks, they are simply troublesome, as men have to carry about guns and revolvers purely for their benefit, but they seldom do worse than spear a horse or two occasionally. Food is not very dear just now, but it would be difficult to quote prices, as the rates are liable to the laws of supply and demand.