UP-RIVER DIGGINGS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 581, 7 October 1869, Page 2

UP-RIVER DIGGINGS.

♦ . — - . . , . ..... (fkom our own ookbesponjdbnt.) Napoleon, October 4. " The memorial to the Government, mentioned in my last, has been numerously signed, and preparations are being made to forward it to its destination. It wilt be sent in the first instance to the War- i den, accompanied by a letter requesting him to forward it to the authorities at Ne'aon. Gold is offering pretty freely in consequence of the rain the beginning of the week, which, has enabled the miners to wash up again. It is a fact, and it is no use denying it, thai the diggers cau- - not dispose of their gold here, even at a price which would allow purchasers* good apparent profit when compared with the .'■ bank price at Greymouth, still the business people either will not or can not buy the quantity of gold offering. Every storekeeper says he can purchase his own customers' gold, and, as one would think, every miner must give his custom to some storekeeper, the question arises, where do those who cannot sell their gold deal ? At all events a gold-buying agency would pay well here, besides conferring a real benefit on the place by .putting money: i into circulation. V .1 The Mosquito Lead is partly at a standstir. The Italian party have bottomed their shaft, but whether on gold or not is not known. It is the general opinion that they have obtained payable gold, be- : cause the claimholders in the immediate vicinity still have great confidence in the value of their shares, several of which have changed hands ; one has been sold - for L 35 cash, and two others for L4O, and a " swap" in each instance. The claim on the Wellington and Napoleon Leads are being worked steadily and with satisfactory results;; after careful inquiry, and after comparing my information, I have arrived at the conclusion that Ll2 per week is the average earnings per man of those on gold on these leads. . A one-seventH' share was sold in the AH i N. t ons claim this week for L 135. A party of six have obtained an extended area, and have commenced operations in Orwell Creek, at the township, for the purpose of trying to reach the main bottom, which has not been done yet, inconsequence of the quantify of water to contend with : we wish them success. .Lower down the creek, Carrolt and Co are washing away a face of about twenty feet in height. Another party, who are tunneling here, have constructed an ingenious icon- ' trivance for the purpose of facilitating their washing operations. ■ The paddock is built in the shape of an. inverted cone, immediately over the head of the first box, and an' opening in the bottom is so constructed that the wash-dirt descends ..into the box as it is required, thus saving' t ■ one man's labor. « > ? ' At Duffer's Gully, Kenny and Co.- who have an extended, area,, .and the second water-right in the creek, have had a washing of 50 ounces for four men in six weeks. M'Mahoh and Co., and Corcoran and Co.,- are ready to dear up with, it ia v expected, a somewhat similar result. Lower, down two parties are taking ia x funnels into the terraces on the southern: / side, for the purpose of working what appears to be a former bend in the creek. A new discovery has been made at Gladstone Terrace, gold having been struck at a lower level in a claim formerly held by Mason and Co. On the upper level, the prospectors, Canadian; Loves, y . Houstan, and Walsh and Go's claims are ' averaging good wages. : At the Teviot, Paddy the Winger's party, whose commands the whole of the terraces about, are doing exceedingly well. A, portion of this ; company's water has :•■:.-; been raised from Brandy Jack's Creek, / aiid in order to effecta junction With their T Teviot-race a tunnel had: to be^driven for a distance of 600 yards through the spur >bet\?een the two creeks. Half Ounce is r nearly deserted in consequence of the. ■? r\ish to Brandy Jack's.; ; t■ „ , i ; ;The prospecting claim at Brandy Jack's looks as promising as ever. Buckley and pirty have struck payable gold, so have Skehan and Co. The most important ' event which has taken place since my

last report is the discovery of payable gold in Ryan and Co.'s claim, in the lower or western bank of the creek from the prospectors. The finding of the gutter in this claim proves the lead to be continuous. Below Ryan's, three parties have amalgamated for the purpose of taking up a tail-race, which will be a work of some difficulty. Above the prospectors the lead appears to be making diagonally for the creek again, in which case, unless the gutter takes another slew, the tunnels at this end will reach the run of payable ground much quicker than those below. Connolly and Co. broke in the gutter on Saturday evening. With regard to the future prospects of this rush, I would caution parties at a distance against paying too much attentiop to the exaggerated reports which are being circulated about it. That a good payable lead, and one easily worked — because the gold is confined within convenient limits — has been discovered, there is no doubt ; but, as far as can be known at present, all the groinvl through which this lead is likely to run is occupied for miles, and new arrivals will have to prospect in other directions for themselves, an operation requiring both time and money in this part of the country. It is true some very rich ground has opened, indeed. I know of 4oz to a set having been washed ; but that is an exception, and the average quality of the washdirt, considering the time it takes to reach it, is by no means high. The population at present on the ground may be reckoned at about 350.