UP-RIVER DIGGINGS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 618, 4 January 1870, Page 3

UP-RIVER DIGGINGS.

[The following letter ought to have appeared in our last, but was received too (from oub own correspondent.) Ahaura, Dec. 29. In consequence of the Christmas festivities engaging the attention of the miners, work is almost entirely suspended throughout the district. The late rain has done an immense amount of good, especially in the neighborhood of Napoleon, where both mining and business was at a stand still for want of it. The Wellington lead at Napoleon is now worked out, with the exception of one or two claims, and these will soon be finished, that is as far as the original occupiers are concerned, but there will be 4 fossicking for years to come on all those leads. The Wellington lead generally has paid the shareholders on it handsomely. I know of one claim which has averaged Ll2 per week per man since the middle of June. The Canadian rush has made very little progress since my last xeport, or for that matter, since I mentioned it first, although it created such an uproar at the time — still the several claimholders have confidence in the existence of a payable gold field in the spur, and when Stewart and party will have bottomed the shaft they ' are now sinking the ground will be i thoroughly tested. The claims at Boland's Terrace are paying remarkably well, in fact this terrace

| bids fair to rival its neighbor the Gladstone, which, although nearly worked out, has beon one of the moat profitable pieces of ground ever opened in the district. There are three claims on Boland's Terrace paying well, the others are still merely prospecting. At the rush, which recently took place to one of the spurs, at the right-hand branch of Noble's Greek, I am informed three claims are working ground which s yielding good wages. Tiiii.s is another ox those isolated terrace patches, which the extensive prospecting that took place during the late dry weather, has developed, and now that the rain has enabled the miners in the vicinity of Napoleon to wash up the large quantities of dirt contained in their paddocks, we may expect to hear of these small rushes every other clay. Above the Little Grey Junction, the numerous creeks and terraces, some old and some now, which are being workfcd still, support a large population. Several new mining leases have been applied for, and among the number, one from our old friend Mr T. Walsh, for three axes at Maori Gully, on the Saddle. " The Old Flower" may be considered the pioneer of mining enterprise in the Upper Grey District. It is three years since he erected a puddling machine ai. a spot where it was impossible to bring a horse to work it, and to obviate the difficulty, he yoked himself and hi 3 mate, " Stoneybatter," to the machine, and " the mill went merrily round." I wish him success in his new enterprise. Mossy Creek supports a population of about 40 men, who are generally making | small wages. The same may be said of the Blackwater. Over the Saddle, Soldier's andMundy's Creeks are the principal points of attraction, and a few miners are still working at Hodman's and Painkiller Creeks, and further to the Inangahua in aN.W. direction from the site of the old township. On Fern Flat a considerable number are located in the vicinity % of Boatman's Creek, who appear to be doing well. At the Mosquito Lead at Napoleon gold has been struck in another claim at a distance of nearly 800 feet from the face, I have not heard the particulars. Work has been entirely suspended at Napoleon in consequence of the holiday sports. The sports came off on Monday, and everything passed off satisfactory and quietly with the exception of a "scrimmage" or two, which merely helped to make matters interesting. I will give you a detailed account of the result of the sports in nay next. At Callaghan's (j ully the several sluicing parties have been doing well lately. A serious accident occurred here a short time since, whereby two men were disabled, and one of them, a miner, named Guy Wilson, was seriously injured, but he is progressing favorably. The acccident took place through a quantity of stuff falling from the face, and partially crushing the men. The rush at No Town has gradually subsided. I expected this would be the case, for I pointed out in my report.of this rush that it was merely. a bend of the old lead which was lost in the creek and had taken to • the terrace, or rather the terrace had taken to it ; for the present workings being nearly on a level with the bed of the old creek, it follows that the terrace must have been formed since the gold was deposited. In reference to this rush, I wish to make a few remarks with respect to a letter which appeared in the Grey River Argus of December 25, the writer of which disputed the accuracy of my report. If the information I gave in that letter is incorrect, I can only say that I am not to blame. A mining correspondent is placed in a peculiar position on occasions such as these. He cannot be expected to enter every claim in a district which he visits, and prospect the ground for himself ; he must trust in a great measure to the good faith of the persons from whom he receives his information, especially when tho3e persons happen to be shareholders in the particular claim which he is describing. In this instance the details which I gave I received direct from one of the prospectors themselves, for he said he was one of them, and from my long and intimate acquaintance with the country in the vicinity of No Town, extending over a period of nearly five years, it struck me that the account he gave me was exaggerated, consequently, I took the precaution to request my informant to sign his name to the report, which he did. I saw no reason to doubt the general accuracy of his statement, as I had known him for some time as a practical miner, and as a man who would not be likely to wilfully mislead any person in a case of this sort; I can assure the writer of that letter that I ana as much alivo as he is to the viciousness of the practice of giving false or garbled reports about new rushes, and since ray connection with this journal I have constantly endeavored to make any information which I have given as reliable as possible. The mo3t important peace of intelligence from Brandy Jack's is that A Jie lead has been struck in Good and party's claim across the creek ; this proves the lead to be continuous. The Ahaura races are still going on as I write. On Monday and Tuesday the advertised prizes were run for, and to-day the Stewards have offered prizes for four events out of the surplus funds in hand Taking into consideration the counter attractions at Greymouth and elsewhere, the race meeting may be considered a success.' ■ - We have had another indignation meeting ; the object of sympathy in this case , was a jockey, who was publicly dismounted on the race-course yesterday by the owner of the horse which he was 1 riding (or by the owner's authority) for alleged foul play. The meeting was rather stormy, there was the usual amount of personalities, and as the Chairman was , putting the last resolution, the landlord , of the hotel came in and vociferously ; moved an amendment to the effect that he wanted his room cleared, which was car- . ried. At a fight which occurred in a booth on the 1 race-course on Monday, a i young man named Bourke was seriously injured. He was promptly attended to by Dr. Cooke. The alleged perpetrators of , the outrage were taken into custody, but ; as the injuries sustained by Bourke are L not so serious as was at first supposed, . they have since been admitted to bail.