FOX's RIVER DIGGINGS.

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 156, 12 January 1867, Page 3

FOX's RIVER DIGGINGS.

, (from a correspondent.) Brighton, Jan. 9, 1867. Jij'st at present Brighton (Fox's River) is suffering severely from the dulness reactionary upon the intense excitement and over-speculation which prevailed in its early days — if we can' apply such a term as "early days" to a place whosetime of existence is counted by weeks only. The rich ground discovered originally on Welshman's Terrace, and the " likely-looking" appearance of Jhe country generally induced business people as well as miners to believe that anew El Dorado" had been discovered. Wookpucker Bay became thronged with, shipping, clouds of storekeepers descended upon the beach, and, as if by uuigic, a town, containing very nearly three hundred large stores and hotels, sprang up as it were in a night. The Pakihi village was almost absolutely deserted ; the streets of the now town were actually choiced with people, and for the first week or two .an enormous business was done ; but when week after week passed, and no new ground in the immediate neighborhood was discovered, an unpleasant change was perceptible" : tho crowds began to melfc away, Charleston (Pakihi) again raised its head, and the depression was i sadly attested by the number of ab- ■ scouders of whom x>no begun to hear daily. But although Fox's at this 'moment holds out no inducement for strange) s to pvuceyd t<J it, lam strongly of opinion that it will 3 r et be a rich place AJ'nough thoi'c have been a great, many parties out prospecting without success, it must be borne in mind that tho country is unusually difficult, oven for Westland, and that the quantity of watej- to bo contended with offers a most serious obstacle to the ordinary clish-aud?shoy@l gold seekers ; although, wei'e gold pneu struck, it could easily be overcome by machinery. To meet the opposition presented by the i^jipi'nctibility of the country, the Government at once entered upon-the'Construc-tion of a road, coiumencing at a point on the river about two miles above tlie town, and striking southerly to \a "distance of about five miles inland from the soa beach, when it crosses 'the Pokonui River, and bending again to the right, strikes the sea shore a little south of the Razorback hill. This road, which in about sixteen or eighteen miles in length, will' open up to parties a large extent of. country hitherto unknown, and virtually inaccessible in consequence of the difficulty of conveying provisions. It has been let out to contractors in small portions, and iis they are each bound to complete their work within a time specified in eacli case, but which in none has exceeded forty days from the 24th ultimo, we may expect to hear something decisive at "the end of "the present, or at the beginning of the ensuing mouth. During the last week or two, the set has been more in the direction of Pakihi, where there is a large extent of payable ground, notwithstanding the drawback of a scarcity of wuter. A great deal of most unpleasant excite--ment has followod the duffer rush to the terraces near Jacob's Ladder occ;isioned by the application of Charles Sabrey and party for a prospecting claim. This application was posted at the Warden's office in Brighton on Friday last, and during that and the two succeeding days and nights many hundreds of miners were scattered over the country at and adjoining the alleged find, but the best prospect attainable even in the prospector's claim was not. richer than half a grain to the dish at a depth of twenty feet. Sabrey, who it seems is generally known by the appellation of "Yankee Charlie," and who is stated to possess unbounded j medacity, h;;s been taken into custody, aud-now, in durance vile, awaits the re- ' turn of Mr W;ir.le:i Kynngrsley. Perhaps j it is a most lucky thing for him that the new lock-up at Brighton is of mure than average strength, as the indignation felt and expressed by the duped ones is m>.st •intense, and were there now — as has been the case up to tlie last few days — no more substantial gaol than a six by eight tent, it is more? than probable that "Yankee I Charlie's punishment would have been undertaken by the populace. At Canoe' Creek (in the Seventeen-mile Beach, a large number of diggers have settled down, and although no rich patch has as yet been struck, there seems to be a large extent of ground which will pay something more than wages. The diggings are situated about four miles inland from the mouth of the creek Avhich empties itself into the sea at a place about four miles south of the Razor Back, and 23 miles north of the Grey. All along the beach from above the Ten-mile Bluff to near Canoe Creek new parties are setting in daily either on the beach itself or on the banks, and low terraces immediately adjoining, and in most instances diggers seam to be satisfied 'with their show.