NEW RUSH AT THE MATAURA BEND.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 134, 10 August 1864, Page 2

NEW RUSH AT THE MATAURA BEND.

To the Editor of the Lake WuvATIP Mail. Sir,—A prospecting claim has been granted this day to Dan Boucher and party, close to where I am working, and I think it is likely I know more of the paying nature of the ground around here than this prospector, who alighted on the ground only a few days ago. After learning all the information 1 could give him he obtains half a pennyweight to a dish, and takes this with a considerable deal of " puff," and applies for a prospecting cluiui, without having cither box : tub or cradle to prove the ground. When a person leads himself astray by undue calculations it is a pity those at a distance should suffer by visiting these petty rushes at this season of the year, who may not have an opportunity of knowing the nature of Dan's "patches" as I have. I and party have been here since my return from the West Coast and Te Anau, as my finances were not in a condition to look for better. During this time we sunk over 30 shafts and worked in four of the gullies, obtaining such prospects as Dan's ; but, after working half-a-dozen paddocks the gold would reduce in quality to relinquishing point. The prospectors of the. Kingston rush, I believe, are connected with this claim,, which I think will share the same fate. These lucky individuals will be so much engaged with this exciting discovery that nothing is talked of but the " patch" ; therefore I suppose it will be left to me to make known the following remarks: — These terraces lie in a bend of the Mataura, on the Nokomai dray road, and rise 800 feet above that river. One milu square will cover hills, gullies and terraces, over which the color can be traced ; the rest is beset with difficulties. The gullies are steep and bearing a few patches, of timber, and from three to ten feet sinking. The gold is fine and scaly, like the old Wakatip, and differs from that of the Nokoinai. There is no claim but can be worked out in a month, if found payable. Most of the ground is already marked ofij and I cau see no room for a rush. Oarbonites of iron, silicates of manganese, tungstate of lime and black sand occur with the gold. Blocks of syenite, greenstone, porphyry, felstone, chert and mica schist lie strewed around the terraces. Yours, &q., P. Q. CAPLE3.

Mataura T3end, August 4th. ♦

To tho Edit-}}' of the Lake Wakatip Mail. Si k,~ Having been well acquainted with the unfortunate man, Uriah James, who accidentally met his death at Arthur's Point, on Thursday last, I was much grieved to read the misstatement tluit appeared in your issue of Saturday last, and, if you will allow me space, 1 trust to alter the impression left by your version of the catastrophe. Smith was working in the same drive with James, and Smith being. au unexperieneed miner, ;t is not unlikely that James did, at the first moment, laugh at id's warning, ■ but he must instantly have made a rush for the shaft, as the position in which his body was found clearly proves. James was not " fool-hardy," but was skilful in his calling, for, probably, a better underground miner never put a pick in the ground at Arthur's Point. James was buried before Smith had time to be taken up the shaft, for he called out to his mate, John Collins,who working in the other drive, that James was buried. Smith then went up the shaft, and Collins (who is also an experienced miner) rushed into the drive where James was lying and commenced shovelling away the fallen earth, but it was of no avail, as, from the nature of the soil, it caved in faster than he could remove it. Where every oue was so anxious to do his best in assisting to excavate the deceased, it is scarcely fair to particularise individuals, yet, high praise is certainly due both to Bartholomew Dowell and John Collins, who both risked their lives in order to try and save Jauies. They did nt risk their lives "unnecessarily at an earlier period than was actually safe," for, surely, if life was worth risking at" all, it must have been within a few minutes after the accident occurred, when there was some chance of getting the man out alive. Mv only object in writing this letter is to try and prove that James was not 11 foolhardy," and that Bartholomew Dowell did not risk his life unnecessarily. An Eye Witness.

Arthur's Point, August Bth, 1864. r+ ;

We must congratulate our readers and the inhabitants of the district generally, on the pros* pect of at least one joint stock mining company being soon in full work amougst us. The new prospectus of the Arrow Quartz Mining and. Crushing Company appears to-day iu our ad*, vertising columns,'and the terms now offered to the public would seem to be fair and satisfactory., Of the value of the reef there is no reasonable doubt) and since the publication of the surveyor's report, which was extremely favorable, a quantity of verj' fine stone has beeu raised, and the reef opened out so as to enable the prospectors to ascertain that the width of the crown must exceed the idea originally formed of it, beintf not less than from three to four.feet. . We, ® - i i "' r trust that the enterprise will not be deemed unworthy of the attention of capitalists in town as well as of tho<e amongst us who have money to invest. We believe it to be in every way a bona fide affair, and its success must naturally advance the interest of the district generally as well as those of the shareholders themselves.