A. J. BARRINGTON'S DIARY OF THE WEST COAST PROSPECTING PARTY.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 123, 2 July 1864, Page 4

A. J. BARRINGTON'S DIARY OF THE WEST COAST PROSPECTING PARTY.

About the Ist November, 1863,1 left Arthur's Point. Shotover, after nine months' work, without a shilling compensation, repairing damages all the while on account of the floods. I and my mates left Queenstown in company with two more, with the intention to follow up the river Dart, and try to cross the dividing range toward the West Coast, for the purpose of prospecting the country due north from the Wakatip. We laid in a little stock of provisions and proceeded in the Pearl, which landed us on the west side of the river Dart, when we carried a portion of our provisions into the bush and buried it till some of the party should leturn to fetch it if we got any prospect. Wo proceeded up the river; for five days we tried up three creeks running from the westward into the Dart, but without success. It then commenced raining and continued to rain for six daysnight and day, when, with the roughness of the country and the bad weather, the boys jibbed on going any further. I did not fancy going alone, consequently returned to the Head of the Lake for a few weeks, both to await fine weather and to get more mates ; went to work on the Bucklerburn creek for a few weeks. December 21st—Washed our clothes in the forenoon, packed up our swags and made a start to the Lake on our second trip, in company with Edward Dunmore and William Baylis: crossed the Lake in the afternoon, caught four young ducks, and proceeded up the Dart two miles and camped for the night. December 22nd.—Up before sunrise and proceeded up the river. When we got up abreast of Pigeon Island, we were crossing a branch of the Dart, when William Baylis was carried away on account of keeping too far down off the ford or shallow ground. I being first, and a good distance off, thought he would be drowned before I could get to him. On hearing the first scream, I looked round and saw his feet over the water. I had not time to land my Bwa«- on the other side, but dropped it in the river ; toll Edward Dunmore to hold it, so as not to let the water take it away. I jumped in and swam away, just as I was, after him. I could see him rolling, sometimes his swag would be uppermost, sometimes himself; he was struggling hard to get it off, and succeeded just as I got to him, and at the same time got ashoie. I swam ashore and ran down the beach a quarter of a mile, and went into the river and stood there about a quarter of an hour, when I saw the swag and picked it up with the loss of two tin dishes, one long-handled shovel, tea, sugar, soda, wetting our oatmeal and flour in both As mine were wet too, we had to camp there. Left him there to dry the things, while I and Edward Dunmore returned to the store to replace the things we had lost. A gentleman, called James Farrell, who was camped at the other side of the Dart, on a shooting tour, put us across the Lake and also fetched us back in the morning.

December 23rd.—Started again and crossed the Lake; made the Island at 11 a.m., dried our blankets, and started at 1 p.m. Travelled up to Wild Dog Creek; crossed it at a distance from the Lake, of twelve miles. Camped in our old camping place of the former occasion. Killed four wood hens. Beautifcl weather. December 24th.—Packed up our swags as much as we could carry up the creek—it being a very bad road—leaving behind part of our swags, intending to return on the following day to fetch it, as we were too heavily laden to carry our swags up all at once. We got up about eight miles and camped at the junction of Stony and Wild Duck Creeks, on a little flat with fine long grass, where we got four Maori hens, we having a good dog with us, which we borrowed from a storekeeper at the Head of the Lake. December 25th.—Turned out at da; light, got breakfast and proceeded down the creek to fetch the remainder of our provisions. Arrived at the depot and packed up; got back again to the tent by 5 p.m., where we had a plum duff boiling; tapped a brandy bottle which we brought up for the occasion, made tea, cooked four Maori hens and spent a jolly afternoon ; that ended Christmas Day. December 26th.—We started up Stony Creek, prospecting the creek as we went till we reached its head, (about noon) but could find no gold. Returned and got dinner. Two of us followed up Wild Dog Creek to explore and see if we could get our swags up it ; got up about five miles* which is a fearful bad road. Arrived at a nice flat ahout one and a-half miles iong, covered with long grass, and any amount of spear grass, which is our greatest torment, as its sharp points are like so manv needles running into our legs. Reached the head of the flat; got no gold ; left our pick, shovel and tin dish here till we returned on the following day.

December 27th.—Camped all day, it being Sunday. About this time there is great talk of a man called M'Guirk, alias the " Maori Hen," getting gold somewhere out towards the West Coast, and who came in once in five weeks for provisions. He has been shepherded by a dozen men on several occasions, but always managed to give them the slip. This morning about 10 o'clock, our dog commenced barking and ran down to the river. We followed, and saw the famous " Maori Hen," with his swag, proceeding up the creek. He came up to our tent and was quite surprised at finding us there. He told us it was his fifth trip up that road, and never saw a man before so far away from the Lake. We told him we were going up the creek to cross the dividing range and try the country to the N.E. When he found we were going in his direction, he spoke to us with more confidence, and said he would wait till the morrow and we could travel with him as far as he had been. He told us he had been out to a lake, where he had found old camps along the road, and several on the side of the lake; but that he never could cross the river either coming into or going out of the lake. 1 told him I would make a raft, swim across, and then pull the remainder of the party across on the raft—which plan we all agreed on. He said he knew there was a party working out there and doing first-rate: all he wanted was to cross the river.

December 28th.—Very wet morning. Had a hard job to light a fire, but succeeded after a long time. Noon—a fine day. Dried our tent and made a start up the creek in company with the "Maori Hen." Camped for the night, and killed two ducks, baked some bread and turned in for the night. Weather inclined to be wild. December 29th.—Snow squalls flying about. Made another start to run up to the head of Wild Duck Creek, alongside the Dividing Range. Got up by sundown. A fearful road. Camped just under the snow. Killed two Maori hens. Weather fine but cold; beautiful scenery. The cotton plant grows profusely here and of a splendid, quality. December 30th.—Started by sunrise for a heavy day's march, wending our way up the Backbone Range over a low saddle, walking over from one to forty feet of snow. Crossed the saddle by noon. KilUd two Maori hens. Started over the other side down precipices fearful to contemplate : life in jeopardy every five minutes. When we got down to a beautiful river, we all said we would not come down the same track again for £2O. Killed four ducks. This river is a portion of the right hand branch of the Awarua.

December 31st. —Up by daylight to run this creek up. Reached its sources that afternoon. There are here some small flats ; some quartz boulders in the creek, and a larger flat at its head. Crossed it, where another creek formed, the water running the other way, forming a river which winds round to the west, and runs into the large river at the west side of this range. Made about two miles down this creek, and camped. Edward Dunmore and William Bay lis completely knocked up. January Ist, 1864.—Foggy weather. Got down the creek four miles, and crossed over a low saddle to the westward. Heavy rain set in on top of the mountain. Travelled down the other side till we found wood and water, when we camped. Cut down a lot of black pine, made a good fire and dried our clothes. Bed of wet moss, but slept well, as we were all fatigued. January 2nd.—Rained till noon, when we made a start with the bush all wet. We were wet to the skin in five minutes. Very rough road down the side of this mountain; a precipice every few minutes, fearful, even to look at. We got down by sunset to the edge of a beautiful little lake, about six miles long and two wide, sunounded on either side with precipices and a very heavy thick scrub. Any amount of supplejack. A large river coming down the flat from the north, empties itself into the lake. Caught an eel about twelve pounds weight, and also a kakapo. Provisions getting low, we put ourselves on short allowance twice a day. January 3rd.—Cooked our eel for breakfast, and started down the lake. A fearful road, with supplejack, bush lawyers, and all sorts of thick scrub. Got down to the other end of the lake by sundown. Camped alongside the river which runs out of the lake. Tried to cross, but failed, as there is a heavy current running out of the lake. Dried our clothes. There are three or four old camping places, where some parties have been so ne time.

January 4th.—Tried hard to cross the river, but failed. Found a whole host of camps and a broken oar, so that there must have a boat on the lake some day. Cannot cross but in a boat, or five days walk round the lake, and over three rivers and a mountain. Preferred building a boat, as we could get no timber to make a raft that would float, and no tools but a tomahawk. Went to work, felled a large white pine and are getting on well. Provisions getting very short. Thunder and lightning, which continued all night. (To be Continued.)