THE QUEENSLAND DIGGINGS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 386, 4 July 1868, Page 2

THE QUEENSLAND DIGGINGS.

We are permitted to publish the following letter from Gympie Creek, Queensland, received by Mick Fleming, a miner well known on the coast, from his mate, Thomas M'Gowan : — Gympie Creek, May 2. Dear Mick. — I have been here several days, aud I find this place is just as bad as was represented to me. I never was on such a poor place in my life. There has been some good patches here, but there is nothing new breaking out. I have seen any quantity of men here that I know, and they are all of the same opinion, that is, that this place is the worst they have ever seen. Some of them have been knocking about for upwards of twenty years, and this is the only place they ever saw that they could not do something on. I don't know what the devil to do here, as there is no show to get any metal, and wages is about 25s to 30a per week, and hard to get on at that, so you can reckon that wages are not up to much after paying tucker, although beefsteaks are cheap here, 2d and 3d per lb, and bread Is per loaf. There is one great drawback here, and that is there is no credit, and a storekeeper will go out to get change of apennybefoie he loses a halfpenny. This is the meanest place I ever saw, and all the business places are downright shabby places. As far as the climate goes I like it pretty well, although some days are pretty hot. This is the finest coxmtry for grass I have ever seen. I told you in a letter I wrote from Brisbane that I was going to start up-country on Monday by myself, but on Sunday evening the steamer came in and I met a chap that came to Sydney with Mac, from Grey, and we came up here on Monday last. I have seen Jack Warren, and of course he has done nothing ; he is working a bit of ground but it is very poor. He was enquiring about you, also a lot more of the Gothenburg passengers, and they say you are a lucky man not to come here, and I perfectly agree with them. As for Cleveland Bay, the news here is very bad, for there are a great many dying there. Out of thirty men going up the country fourteen died in three days, and the rest turned back. Of course I can't say how true that is, but that is the report here. There is nothing new opened here this last three months except a few leaders that are called quartz reefs. I saw some gold that came out of the Caledonian Reef, about 700oz, from 6cwt of stone, but I understood it was all picked, and they have been about five months getting it, so when you see an acconnt of it in the paper you will understand it. The above lot is from two claims. I wish you to forward this letter on to some of the boys on the coast, and if you have any news send me word, as this place is no chop, and I should like to hear from the coast.