BALLAARAT. [From the Correspondent of the Argus.] February 9th. 1854.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 899, 15 March 1854, Page 3

BALLAARAT. [From the Correspondent of the Argus.] February 9th. 1854.

The celebrated " Monster Nugget," upon the fruits of which the lucky finders are now prohably enjoying their otium cum dignitate in old England, and which gained for them an interview with that sovereign whose profile-i* now prohably impressed on the greater part of the fruits of their laliour, hardly created a greater sensatron than that produced on these diggings on Tuesday last. In an old hole, situated in a part of the old Eureka and opposite Messrs. Mussel and Moncton's London store, a place almost totally deserted, there was found by Thomas Cordwant, William Smith, and a party of five others, a nugget weighing fifty-two pounds and one ounce. Strange coincidence ! The other *' Monster" was also found in a deserted hole, This nugget is nine inches long by about seven broad, has a striking resemblance to a tortoise, and is composed of smooth gold, almost wholly unmixed with quartz. So strange is it that one should go to bed poor, and prooped to the Commissioner's a comparatively rich man in the morning. But the Eureka is not alone at present famous for nuggets. A general Inspection of several tubs on the Eureka yesterday gave me ocular demonstration of the immense richness of the " du»t" got from the stuff of this famous line. Its continuation is studded with claims. " Shepherds" sit on the tops of the logs piled around their claims awaiting " a find" to enable them to go down. The general success has occasioned many results. The " Cosmopolitan Eating-house," where diggers now revel in their soups and potted salmon instead of the superseded mutton, damper, and tea, the " snuggery," the concert room, the tasty decorations where before the simple s'oie was all that was either wished or thought of, — all shew that King Gold on the Eureka has supplied his finders with attendants to wait upon his regal sway. Meantime many storekeepers are setting off on Ballaarat THat, addopt-ng as their motto, " Hey for Callao ;" but ancient as the mines of Peru may be, 1854 may shew them more in Australia than the accumulated vpealth of the times of old. This is no dream, for to paraphrase Shakespeare, " ounces are stubborn things/