THE KIMBERLEY GOLDFIELD.

Kumara Times, Issue 3094, 2 October 1886, Page 3

THE KIMBERLEY GOLDFIELD.

THE DIGGINGS PRONOUNCED A FAILURE. REPORTED MURDER OF MEN BY BLACKS VERIFIED. SEVERAL MEN STILL MISSING. The special correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald, who whs despalched some months ago to the Kimberley goldfields, has arrived on the diggings. From an interesting letter written by him to his journal, and published on the 15th inst, we extract the following. The letter is dated from M‘Phee’« Creek, July 21. The writer Bays:—

This is the main camp in the centre of what are named the “ Kimberley Goldfields.” We arrived at the Elvira River on Friday, abont one o’clock. There were then about 70 men and 100 horses camped there ; Mr Samuel Johnson, one of the men recently speared by the blacks, was also there. I had a personal interview with him, and the information I obtained from him has since been verified by personal observation, and also from conversation with at least 100 miners, many of whom have been on the field for months, others for weeks, and others again for only a few days, but all are unanimous in pronouncing the diggings a gigantic failure. Mr Johnson has been on the field (which embraces an area of some hundreds of miles) between seven and eight months. He states that be, with fonr others, came overland from Port Darwin with a thoroughly complete outfit and 30 hosres. His party commenced prospecting directly they struck the Ord River, and have been hard at it ever since. As they have experienced both the wet and the dry seasons, Mr Johnson ought to be able to speak with seme authority. He stated that he had no hesitation in pronouncing the diggings a huge failure. 1 read to him numerous accounts which had appeared in papers in Sydney and also in the others colonies, giving details of the largo finds of gold made, and also of the mineral wealth of the district, and he immediately exclaimed that they were “ shamefully, wickedly, and cruelly exaggerated.” “ What,” said Mr Johnson, “is to become of the thousands of poor men whom you tell me are on their way here] There is not sufficient alluvial ground in the country to give a hundred men rations, BO that thousands must starve, or the Western Australian Government must be compelled to give them work. I have been to nearly all the diggings in the colonies during the past 20 year, and I positively assert these will cause greater misery than all the others put together.” Mr Johnson’s remarks were verified in the main by s miner named John Tweed, who started overland from Port Darwin on the 12(h of December last. He has beer prospecting ever since, and the result! of his labour have been but 4ozs. o gold. Between 200 and 300 of thosr who landed at Cambridge Gulf hav« returned during the last eight days, am dozens of others are leaving almos daily, being satisfied that nothing is t< be done. Hall’s Creek, about si: miles from Carlyle’s Pool, on tin Elvira, where we camped, is the oom mencement of the diggings. Betweei 50 and 60 men are slil! working their Some are getting a little gold, whila others fail to get the colour. ILtil’ Gully has been the site of a very hirr camp. There were nearly 300 me there 13 days back. It is about 1 miles from the meek, and is on t.h Black Elvira. When we arrived (her

on Saturday, between 50 and 60 men were at work, and I watched several parties washing out all the afternoon. Some got two or three grains to the dish, others got colour, whilst others again failed to get the slightest trace of

gold. A party of two, who have been at work eight days there, showed me the result of their dish-washing, and the specs, like pins’ heads, would not have made a piece the size of a small pea. All were disheartened, and these men are mostly experienced diggers, who have been accustomed to hard work and failures on other fields. They one and all wondered what was to become of the hundreds who left Cambridge Gulf on foot, without rations or money. Messrs Archibald Moonson, Donald Campbell, and William Topping verify all the above. They have been prospecting in the district for upwards of twelve months, and they are wellknown miners and prospectors whose information can be relied upon. I met them on the Black Elvira on Saturday, and they intend to prospect in other directions. So far they have got a little gold, but not enough to pay expenses.

I do not assort that there is no gold in the district, for something , like 2000ozs. must have been unearthed. But it must be remembered that the parties who have got the bulk of this came here well equipped with horses and provisions, and prepared to prospect the country in all directions. They have completely worked out all the good gullies, and although many of those who arrived in the various steamers at the Gulf are still working, very little gold is being got—not sufficient to give men rations.

At piespnt provisions are very reasonable at M'Phee’s Creek. For instance, at the only store on the diggings flour is Is 3d per 5>.; sugar, Is 6d; tea, 4s 6d; rice, la 6cl; bacon, 4a j bully, 2s 6d ; soap, 2a j tobacco, 8s ; and blucher boots, 25a per pair. Meat is the greatest want; in fact, there is not a particle on the whole held. As already stated, Mr Johnson was one of the men whose party was attacked by blacks. His version of the affair is as follows Messrs Merriott, Keelan, and himself were out prospecting, They had been scarcely 10 minutes in a small gully when they were surprised by a shower of spears. Two went through Keelan’s hat, and one went through the brim, and another passed slantingly through the crown of Johnson’s hat, and broke short in his forehead, inflicting a jagged wound. A' other spear went through poor Merriott’s breast and entered his heart, killing him instantaneously. Keelan pulled the head of the spear out of Johnson’s forehead, x\fter throwing their spears the natives decamped, but the tracks of five were traced for some distance. On the two men reaching camp a party was collected and sent out to avenge the death of Merriott. The result of their mission is unknown. It is also reported that two other men named Mackenzie and Donohue were killed by the blacks whilst returning from the diggings to Derby. They had two Imrses with them, but no traces have since been gleaned of cither. This latter outrage—if it he such—is supposed to have occurred fully four months back. A great number of other men (fully 20) have been missing for weeks past. They went out prospecting in different directions, in parties of two and three, with provisions sufficient to last them only a few days. They have never been heard of since, and it is also feared that they have either lost themselves and perished in the bush, or been murdered by the blacks.