LITTLE RIVER, N.S.W.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 594, 6 November 1869, Page 4

LITTLE RIVER, N.S.W.

Intelligence reached town on Saturday, says the Braidwood Despatch, of a most extraordinary rich find of gold in the Homeward Bound claim, on the Mosquito Reef, Little River. The parties working in the claim, on coming upon it, were quite beside themselves with excitement, as well they might be. In not more than a third of a three-bushel bag full of stone which Avas raised it was estimated by some that there was 301bs weight of gold, and by some persons it was thought that there was nearly 401bs weight. For one piece of stone alone LBO was offered, but tliis the claimholders were not inclined to accept, seeing that they had sold a piece previously for L 7 10s, which on being crushed haS yielded lOozs of gold. They crushed the stone, which weighed about 751bs, in a mortar, and having done all they could in this rude way to separate the gold from the stone, they brought it into the Oriental Bank on Monday, when the raidue was found to weigh 3330zs 7dwts. Of this between 250 and 300ozs is estimated to be gold, being about one-third of the weight of stone in which, it was found, which was about 900ozs. There is no. telling, however, the quantity of rich stone there is left in the claim. The shaft is only 35 feet deep, and has only been opened some five or six weeks. The reef is two feet wide, and the stone is not of that crumbly mixed nature which has been found in the richest of the Little River, and confined to narrow veins of a few inches. It is a hard grey pure quartz with which the precious metal is so equally intermixed as to make the 3tone appear to be scarcely distinguishable from the gold itself. Here and there when it was first taken out, could be seen lumps of pure gold, with portions of pure quartz clinging to it, but generally the precious metal was equally diffused through the stone. Persons who have been down the shaft inform us that the stone that is left is dazzling to the eyes, and the gold can be seen lianging-from it like icicles. There are six persons in the claim— one or two of. whom live in Araluen, and the others have been residents of other parts of the district. Previous to coming upon the rich stone they (the working shareholders) were very low in funds, and a week or two since a share was given up in the claim. The gold was sent down to Sydney by the Go.vernriient; escort, and we believe it is likely to be exhibited in Sydney prior to being sent to. the Mint. There have been very rich parcels of stone found lately at Gympie and the Thames, and also on the Bathurst side, but the proporfjioii of onethird gold to 751bs weight of stone has seldom been eclipsed, and it proves that while the general bulk of the stone, taken as it comes from the claims which have had a crushing on the Little River, an average of loz to 2ozs to the ton, there are also as rich patches as in other places. The Little River is evidently destined to become a great reefing district, as the reefs extend all the way to Narriga and Bungonia.