THE SOUTHERN DIGGINGS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1907, 16 September 1874, Page 3

THE SOUTHERN DIGGINGS.

Later news is to hand from the southern parts of the Coast by Mr Collyer, who reached here yesterday, having travelled overland from the Okarito River. He reports that there are twenty-three men in all at work south of the Haast River, and all are doing tolerably well. The prospecting party despatched by the Government, who landed at Jackson's Bay, with about six months' provisions, have been actively engaged prospecting since their arrival. They landed on the 19th' of April, and have had nearly five months' work since, though the weather has been exceedingly unfavorable at times, and they have consequently been prevented from penetrating inland at certain places where they met with fair prospects. Their store of provisions are holding out well, having had the same supplemented at various times to their hearts' content in the shape of kakas and pigeons ad lib. They reckon on having sufficient to last them for at least eight months from the date of their landing. Shortly after reaching Jackson's Bay they made their way up the Waitoto JEliver, where they continued prospecting for eight or ten weeks, but eventually went up 45 miles, but were unsuccessful. In several places they met witbjsmall patches of gold, but nothing to warrant their setting|in for any length of time, or sufficient to report to Hokitika. They then entered on a southern journey, still prospecting as they went along,, and about a nionih ago they reached the Cascades, at a poii b about 14 miles south-west of Jackson's Bay. There they are reported to havo met with better prospects, but they have determined to give the tract of country around them a fair trial before making any official report. What amount <if gold they actually had procured they .did not divulge, but they signified their intention of forwarding a report of their doings to Hokitika at the end of the present I month. Mr Collyer naturally does not wish , to be the medium of circulating any tidings which are liable to be exaggerated as they i travel, more particularly as he received : no positive information as to their success, ■ bufcfrom ??hat he gathered from them. The i prospects obtained w ere exceedingly f avori able, and the only question they wished > to determine was as to what extent of i ground the same prospects were obtainable. The party are reported as well in • health, and have been constantly at work > when weather permitted. Welsh and party have their race completed on the > north side of the Haast. Their exertions I have been exceedingly energetic. Length , of race,. 4 miles ; flume,. 6ft 2in wide j and I can cany 40 heads of water if required j

5 fall, 24ft to the mile, which race has been brought on the beach, and tho said party r are about setting in to work, and are ' very sanguine of their results. A large . fire was seen at the Ounnades ou the 24th [ of August from the Iki.-,;, supposed to be ( the prospectors. A shock of earthquake . was felt on the 20th June at 5.55 a.m. > There has been great floods and heavy seas during the winter, the like of which , old inhabitants havo never seen before.