THE "BORDER GOLDFIELDS."

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 99, 9 April 1864, Page 6

THE "BORDER GOLDFIELDS."

Occasionally, on reading the Southland papers, one must be struck with the oftrepeated phrase of " our Border goldfields," and may be excused for asking where these fields are situated: and an undiscerning public may in their ignorance imagine that Southland does really possess the luxury of a gold field, or share "of one. and not a phantom, as Lite y discovered by Mr. Basstian. of Riverton celebrity, who has found a goldfield that only requires "developing;" or the latest thing in mining—viz., a resuscitation of the old Wakatip diggings, somewhere behind Rogers' homestead. Without in any way wishing to dispel the pleasing fiction of the "Border goldfields." I will merely state that the more distant goldfields of the province of Otago are situated at the south-east end of Lake Wakatip. and are generally knowu as the Nevis. Nokomai, and Switzer's. The most expeditious way cf reaching them is by steamer to Kingston—a small township on ' the shores of the Lake, not noted for the variety of its amusements or the number of its inhabitants, though highly essential in a commercial point of vi.w. The nearest diggings to this place is the Nevis, but on account of the great height of the surroundiug mountains, over which the traveller has to pass ere he reaches it, the distar.ee appears much greater than it really is. The acclivity is in all cases most tedious and difficult, and in many instances the track is extremely dangerous. The height from base to summit of one of these mountains is three miles, and the view from the summit is peculiarly grand. The distance from Kingston to the Nevis is about sixteen miles, and immediately on descending the ranges, the Nevis river may be seen flowing tl trough a fine grassy flat, which gradually narrows on approaching the workings, where the stream becomes very rapid, passing between ranges which rise to the height of several thousand feet. It is in the gullies running towards the river, and in the river bed that gold is sought and found—often in large quantities. Some splendid specimens of gold have lately been found here— j one nugget last week weijjhing over seven j ounces. Its general character is coarse, and I resembles very much that found at the Buck- j lerburn, at the head of the Lake, although of not so good a quality—a fact peculiar to all i the goldfields of this locality. The diggings I are of great extent, the river and the gullies I along the flat being worked to the satisfaction j of many hundred miners almost as far as the i Dunstan, to which place there is a well de- j fined track. j Resuming our way to Kingston, which place we reach after a four hours' ride, we are at once struck with the altered appearance which the country bears. Instead of hills we have flats, which undulate through some 100 miles of country in a southerly direction, broken at irregular intervals by the circuitous course of the Mataura River, which has to be crossed five times in a distance of 20 miles, but which enlivens the landscape and relieves it of its otherwise dull and monotonous appearance. About twelve mi es from Kingston, and crossing one of the terraces to the eastward, and from thence over the range known as the Saddle, you descend into the valley of the Vokomai, through which the river of that name takes its way, between hills almost perpendicular, and which rise to a height of over 5,000 feet. As the valley is very narrow and the river so serpentine, the road is nearly all the way through the bed of the latter, which has to be crossei no less than eighteen times in the space of a mile. The scenery is exceedingly picturesque, and cannot fail to attract and delight. The luxuriant foliage of the trees, diminutive cataracts falling a distance of thousands of feet, rocks toppling over each other in '*most admired disorder," large varieties of flowering scrub and graceful ferns combine to form a landscape of wild elegance and beauty not often found in this land of wind and damp. Arriving at the end of the valley, we arrive on a fine large flat, on which are situate the workings of this field. The scene of the miner*' operations is immediately on the brow of the immense ranges which surround this flat, and the miners by a series of the most ingenious contrivances in the shape of watercourses and flumes, succeed in bringing water from the surrounding hill tops on to their claims, and thus save themselves immense trouble and labor in washing the gold. The number of miners on this field are about 300. Mr Donald Cameron has his homestead on the flat, and the Camp is also here* situated. It is only to be distinguished from its humbler and non-official brethren by the flaunting flag that waves over the two tents that constitute court-house, lock-up, magistrate's residence, police quarters, &c. The presiding genius is Mr Nugent Wood, warden of the Nevis, Nokomai and Switzer's —which fields cover an area of over 70 miles. It is a matter of great surprise to many that suoh meanness has been exhibited in reference

to camp accommodation here. While such an amount of prodigality has been shown at Queenstown and Dunstan, and government houses are absolutely rotting in Kingston and Frankton for want of tenants, at the Nokomai the warden must live in a damp tent 12ft. by 20ft. The police arrangements are under the surveillance of Mr Gorman. We now pass through the ** town"—calico is the building material mostly in use, although one individual more speculative than the rest has lately introduced iron, but this is looked upon as an innovation to be dispensed with and repudiated by the aborigines of the place. Leaving the town and ascending the gorge known as " Paddy's Alley," we are once more on the high road, and opposite the station known as Glenquoich, and owned by Joseph Rogers, Fsq. A township is laid out here, and called Athol; at present two houses represent the interests of that place. Crossing the Mataura for the last time, Ayr Creek, and the Oreti or New River, we keep along the road until* we sight the woolshed of Messrs. Holmes and Barnhill, situate at the foot t of a large bald hill known as Castle Rock, from which the station takes its name. On the south-east side of the hill stands the homestead of Mr Barnhill. The well stocked garden and trimly kept lawn in front of the house, speaks strongly of home, and pleasant sounds of music prove that the amenities of life are not altogether disregarded in these remote parts. Leaving Barnhill's, we cross the Oreti agam, and ascend the hill known as M'Kellar's, a little beyond which is situated the homestead of Mr M'Kellar. Over another range and two or three pieces of bog, and we reach Swanston's station, on which ruu it may be remembered about six months ago it was thought by the Southlanders there was a goldfield, which of course turned out nothing. Mr Swanston is a staunch supporter of the " turf," and owner of one or more race-horses, whose performances have obtained favorable mention in Victoria. Twelve miles from Swanston's, and in the centre of a splendid flat is the station of Messrs Chaplin and Ehrenfried, known as Hide Home station, and four miles further are Switzer's diggings. The main workings are in a long leading gully; although gold is found in nearly all the gullies for some miles round. The gold found here is very fine, much waterworn, and totally different in appearance from that of the Nokomai. Five miles from Switzer's is Winding Creek, and here there are a number of miners at work, the gold found being a little coarser than at Switzer's, and strongly coated with iron, Gaw's Creek, a little further on, is where the Warden's clerk resides, who communicates with Mr Warden Wood, whenever occasion requires. Everything here is dull, the great drawback being the scarcity of water, which is felt both here and at Nokomai, and which seriously affects the yield of gold on these fields. # Olden Days of the British Army.—ln the army, under the Duke of K nt's rej/ime, officers of all ranks were rigorously compelled to upbear on parade every morning with t.'it-ir pigtails stiff with powder iind pomatum. Hut the capability of regimental barbers was limited—it was impossible to dress more than a given number of pigtails in a given time. Thus the luckless juniors of the regiment were compelled to resign their pigtails to the barber's hands overnight, and in order to keep them in proper trim, sleep with | their heads upon a bench and their precious pig- ! tails securely pendent in mid-air. Then, at the I sound of the bugle, they sprang up from their ; embarrassing position, and rushed to the paradeground or the battle-field, ready to show their • pigtails to the Duke or their faces to the enemy. ! A regimental surgeon, present with the army at | tl e period referred to, himself told us that for ! weeks he lived perpetually ensconced in buck- | skin breeches ; and if we mistake not, when the ! garment needed a fresh coating of pipeclay, the worthy man had to stand patiently before a : large "fire, slowly revolving like a joint of meat I until the pipeclay Wi;s dry, and he could make a I creditable appearance on parade. A Spy.—While Longstreet's corps was hurryi ing forward to Jackson's relief on the 28th, seveI rul brigades in advance on different roads were 1 observed to halt, thereby stopping all further \ progress of the corps. Very angry at this, | Longstreet trotted to the front, and was informed | that a courier had brought orders from General | Lee to that effect. " From General Lee ?" said I he. his eyes glowing with rage : " Where is that {courier?" he asked. "There he goes now, i general, galloping down the road." »' Keep your I eyes on him, overtake him, and bring him here." This was soon accomplished. "By whose orders did you halt my brigade ? " asked the brigadier. ;" As 1 have already told you—by General Lee's! II have orders for Longstreet, and must be off to I the rear." " Here is Longstreet," said that general moving forward. " Where are your orders? " The spy was caught! He turned red and pale, his lip quivered—he was self condemned. " Give this man ten minutes, and hang him! Let the columns push forward immediately." In fifteen minutes the spy was lifeless, hanging from a tree by the roadside; but, before death, confessed that although a Virginian and a Confederate i soldier, he had been in communication with the I enemy over ten months, and was then acting for General of the South.