ACROSS COUNTRY FROM THE EIGHT MILE TO GREENSTONE.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 455, 12 December 1868, Page 3

ACROSS COUNTRY FROM THE EIGHT MILE TO GREENSTONE.

[communicated.] We started from the Eight Mile or Pile Creek early on Friday morning, with a full determination of making the Greenstone, if possible, the same day. After travelling along the AN survey line to near its end, we struck off, taking a direct south point by the compass. This brought us to the Cock-eye Gorge, which, with a little difficulty, we managed to cross. Travelling on we passed acros9 ranges, paddocks, and creeks, until nearly sundown pulled us up on an immense manuku swamp, with the Hohonu mountain some ten miles to the S.E, After consulting the Government map, we thought our best course would bo to bear to the S.W., and night approaching, the blazing of the trees was done away with, so that we might get along more rapidly. The swamp we were now on, must have been » tremendous height up, as the only rises we could see were the Hohonu and Lake Brunner range, the swamp apparently extending for three or four miles in a westerly direction, with a belt of timber ■outh, which we made for, where we came across a small stream of running water. After again consulting the chart, and the Hohonu bearing as it did, night coming on, and no tent or blankets, we came to the determination to stick fast to the water, which we followed down until it worked itself into a large creek, with high ranges on both sides. Night on us, we cut some fern leaves and boughs, upon which we slept, with a starry firmament for our canopy ; luckily there was no rain. At break of day, after tumbling about in all directions like drunken men, our limbs being so stiff with cold, we still continued our watery course, until at last we came to the Blackwater Creek, followed that down until we came at last to the junction of that with the Greenstone, where the first signs (with one exception) of civilization were come upon, in the shape of some old workings. Delighted we were to think that at last the Greenstone was within reach, as up to the time we came to the junction we had not even a shadow of an idea where we were, and were even contemplating bushingitanother night, so we husbanded our provisions, consisting of about four inches square of Bread and a little beef. Our track then up the Greenstone Creek was. simple. We might mention here that after arriving at the Greenstone, we found that had we not taken the Government map as our guide, we would have made it the same day, the Hohonu mountain being only about three or four miles away from the township, and taking the mountain as a goal from Pile Creek we would have absolutely dropped right down upon the Greenstone workings in about eight miles at the most, besides cutting off most of the deep gorges. So much fur Government survey maps. And now about the country we pa3sed through. If a person will take the chart he will see that from the end of the AN line to the Greenstone Creek, from there to the Hohonu mountain (which is wrongly marked and ought to be only three inches away from Greenstone), thence to Lake Bronner, and so back to the New River, an imrceise amount of unexplored country lies, without a single track or mark of man having trodden there before. Splendid high terraces with one open face of gravel to the creek, where in most instances the reef crops a little way up ; flue paddocks (and where is there a paddock on the West Coast that has been sunk on and gold not found ?), and an innumerable number of both large and small creeks, in which a stone has never been moved except by the waters. In addition to this, judging of course by comparison, as fine a golden-looking country m a man would wish to see. Talk no longer of the West Coast being done ; there is work enough for years upon years to come ; but the present war cry from the population ought to be tracks ! tracks! At last we got to the township about eight o'clock in the morning, well able for breakfast, which we were just in time for at Webb and Murdoch's Hotel. After recruiting, a stroll through the township and workings, with mutual consent, was the first motion. Here, as on almost all diggings on the West Coast, there are two townships, upper and lower. The upper, or what one would call the old township, across the creek, consists of only very few places, whilst, the lower or new one contains already several hotels, stores, billiard-room, dance-house, two Bhoemakers, four bakers, three butchers, Johnny-all-sorts, &c, &c, and new places going up in all directions. The township not being surveyed is very irregular, all the dry places having been picked out without regard to frontage. It is formed on the old bed of the creek, which, in this place, has formed a complete amphitheatre, of about a mile long by threequarters of a mile broad, the creek at present running about six feet below the township level Should there be heavy floods, there is every chance of the water . coming into some of the stores. At the opposite side of the amphitheatre in which the creek is running, the Shallow, or New Bush workings are, at the To )t of the high terrace at the left as you come up the creak. The sinking here is about six feet, sometimes over. Tail races have to be brought up across the flat from the creek, and all the ground is sluiced, for which there seems to be plenty of water. The run along the edge of the terrace extends for about two miles, some claims doing exceedingly well, one claim, Murphy's, giving an ounce a day a man, but all making very good wages, and some considerably over. . Mention might hera

be made that prospecting' has been attempted on the Township flat, but without success, as the water was too much for them. Since the Shallow Rush, the top of the terrace has been opened out, a prospect having been got there at a depth of seven feet, cradling being the on'y appliance as yet for extracting the gold. On the opposite terrace, that is the side on whioh the creek runs, parties have been working for some time past, all doing a little, of course, some claims good, and some not more than small wages. Up tho Greenstone Creek for some miles there are workings, and from what I could learn all doing more or less good for themselves. To the right of the township as you come up, terrace after terrace rises, in all of which gold has been found in payable quantities could water be got to bear upon them. Already a company has been formed to bring in water from some creek, name unknown, and there is a rumor that a much larger company is going to be formed, to bring water from the Hohomi. Should water be got on these terraces, there would be work for over 1000 men. So many men arriving and so few going away is a good sign for the Greenstone, and as a natural consequence there are rushes and rumors of rushes in several directions. The population of the Greenstone is something over 1000, and taking it altogether is about as healthy a looking place as any on the coast.