LATEST FROM THE PALMER.

Evening Star, Issue 3818, 20 May 1875, Page 2

LATEST FROM THE PALMER.

Mr Donne, formerly bailiff at Queenstown, has returned from the Palmer, and reports most unfavorably as to the prospects ofthe place' as a goldfield, while his account of the sufferings of those who have unfortunately gone there is terrifying. He says that more than half are attacked by fevers of various kind, the strongest not being excepted; the majority die unless they leave the country at once, as Mr Donne did, when tak n ill. He went with a . Party of sixty men to the Normanby digpngs and to the Palmer. Many are being killed by the blacks. He saw few instances of success, and only to small amounts—L4o 01 LSO —the majority only making tucker. Medical men have small private hospitals, each keeping a man to attend patients and dig graves. A fee has to be lodged on entrance to include funeral expenses. Provisions are obtainable, but dear. Altogether, his account depicts most painful and distressing state of affairs, quite enough to deter the most sanguine from going there. He has very little confidence in the newspaper accounts from Cooktown. The population he estimates at 5.000 Europeans and 7,000 Chinese, with 10.000 of the latter expected very seen. The Europeans are getting away as fast as they can.