THE GILBERT.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 659, 9 April 1870, Page 4

THE GILBERT.

December 29, 1869. The rush which set in to Western Creek and the heads of the Etteridge and Delaney, about two months since, has proved so far a success that a population of from 300 to 400 have remained there, and ar« scattered, gully-raking, over a large extent of country. The distance from Gilberton to the main camp is something over 100 miles north. Tlie general character of the diggings is poor, even, as compared with the country nearest Gilberton ; the heat is felt to be more oppressive because of its lesser elevation, and a great number have returned thoroxighly dissatisfied, with the place. Parties of prospectors are out still further to the north, and it is believed that eventually something good will be struck on the Langton River, where there is known to be gold, and where there are extensive patches of " made ground," of. which there is little or none on any part of the Gilbert yet workedv • . - : ; The Six-mile rush is nearly worked put, : with the exception of the prospecting claim, which occupies pne*third of ; the ravine.. The prospectprs . will probably realise L6OO to L7OO per share, and some twenty-five or thirty others from L4O to L6O for a few weeks' work.. It has not , been followed by any other discoveries of importance in the neighborhood, as waa expected. The number of miners at present working in this part of the.district is only \ about : 'forty: . : ■ • There is still a good deal of fossicking in Tea-tree Gully, and the^ ravines that discharge themselves into it, and as we have had two. or three, rainfalls lately, . which temporarily filled tlie holes, the means of washing close to the workings was afforded, and as long as this lasted there was little. .difficulty in obtaining, a few pennyweights. . : „- ..;... | There is still the same . thin-scattered population giillyrraking on the ravines along the river for a hundred miles below the town, and thirty miles up .the left-. hand branch, as there has been for; riibnths: past, all of whom are making a living, some tolerable wages, and a few probably Something better. • About seventy or eighty are scattered on the Percy, twenty-five mile's, gullyraking in. the ravines, many;of whom have done well according to their Pwn account, arid I believe the Percy on the whole has paid those who have worked there ior any length of time, better than any other part ;of Tea7tr.ee Gu11y. . . : - „.;... ..: . , : The number . of miners in the whole of the district. — Western Creek included — may be set down as between 700 and 800. ' The, reefs continue to. look well, but as no riiovemput ii being made for providing machinery, it requires great courage in a. working miner to have anything to do with a quartz claim, as he well knows that at least a year must .elapse before there can be a ..possibility of , any return for his labor., However, three claims are being worked oh the Sunday, reef, five on the Commissioner's, two .on' Acinus Ward, arid three on a fresh reef called the New Caledbniah, which was discovered last : w«ek, and from Which splendid spechriens have been obtained! The Sunday reef looks well at the greatest depth they have attained, .. No.. % south, Coniraissipner's, have splendid stone at 60ft. " No. Snptth, Airtemus Ward, have a well-deßhed reef at 4^f t ; and several of the other claims' on. the reefs particularised 1 present the most favorable indications of payability and durability. The starting of a crushing I machine would give an immense impetus to quartz mining here, and would be the starting point of the substantial prosperity of the district.