THE KIMBERLEY GOLDFIELD.

Kumara Times, Issue 3026, 15 July 1886, Page 2

THE KIMBERLEY GOLDFIELD.

FURTHER DISCOURAGING REPORTS. Melbourne, July 6. Somewhat discouraging news continues to arrive with regard to the Kimberley goldfields. A Port Darwin telegram states that the steam launch Victoria returned from Victoria River on Friday evening, bringing Messrs JMd.lles and M'Millan, who have, just returned from the Kimberley goldfields where they have worked with indifferent success for six months. They reached the Kimberley goldfields on the 7th December, and started prospecting at Falls Creek, where they worked four days for small returns. After covering a large tract of country they J decided to relincpiish work till the wet

season sets in. The water is scarce. They only made bare .wages. The color could be found everywhere, but the heavy gold was in a patch much water wurii, and the best is found in narrow ravines. They left the Black Elvire on the 4th May. At thnt time about sixty men were employed on the fields, but most of them had gone to Derby or Cambridge Gulf for provisions. They st.te there is little use in diggers going till after the wet season, and they should be well provided with horses. The Derby correspondent of the Argus, writing on June 7th, says : The men who have come down from the fields profess, to be by no means s-ngtiiuenf its turning out good pay. able alluvial country. I say "profeni to he," for of course it is to their own interest to discourage a large influx before they have time to go back themselves and fill their pockets a second time. Where parties have come down with 250z5., 600z5., BOOZB., 1200z9., 1600za., and 2800z5., or even more, and not a single party without some gold, i« would seem that there must .be-some alluvial working to be found. On one p'tint, and that a most important one, all the miners are agreed, and that ia that this will give a magnificent reefing fi J ld. All the indications are very rich.