PERILOUS PROSPECTING IN SOUTH WESTLAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5377, 21 June 1878, Page 7

PERILOUS PROSPECTING IN SOUTH WESTLAND.

The special reporter of the Grey River Argus gives the following account of the prospecting for gold that has lately been carried on in South Westland : MUST TllII? OVER THE GLACIER. Your readers have heard the rumour which has been current for some time that a small quantity of coarse gold had been obtained by two brothers Spencer, who went down on a mission of photography to the Waiho glacier. It will be remembered that the report was magnified to some extent, in so far that the Spencers were said to have' given up their original calling and had taken to mining. This was contradicted by a letter from Mr. Charles Spencer, dated from Okarito on the 26th April, which was mentioned in a paragraph in this journal. They did not abandon their work altogether, but they thought they had met with sufficient indications to warrant them in giving the ground a little further trial. Their first trip may thus be described. The two brothers Spencer and a man named German Harry succeeded in getting iuto the Waiho Gorge—the left-hand branch of the Waiho. They left the forks of the Waiho on the Bth of April, and reached the top of Mount Mueller. They travelled along the leading spur about five or six miles that day, camping for the night, after having walked for eight hours. Next day they travelled along the leading spur for four hours, when they came to a pass between the Waiho and Totara rivers, though about as high as the top of Mount Mueller. Stretching away from the pass to the Waiho there is about a mile of open grassy slopes. They next went down the slope until they reached the head of one of the numerous creeks that run into the Waiho. Proceeding still farther they reached the river, where they camped that night. Next day they started back, and after three hours’ walking they reached the grassy slopes, again camping, and getting nearly frozen during the night. They left again next day, and got back about 5 p.m., being away four days and three nights. When they reached the Waiho as described on the second day, they picked out gold fiom the crevices in the bed of the Waiho with their penknives. They had no tools whatever with them, and very little tucker. They got eight or ten small pieces of gold, in flattened discs about a quarter of an inch in diameter. The gold was water-worn, and had apparently travelled some distance. The crevices were mostly filled with iron pyrites and slate, mixed with small stones, the whole being cemented very hard, so that they could not get down more than a few inches with their penknives. Where bed rocks were uncovered, they consisted of quartz and slate mixed, there being well-defined reefs generally from two to three feet thick, though they did not see gold in any of the outcrops of the reefs. The small veins of quartz were reddish in appearance and loose in parts from the action of the air and slips. They describe the Waiho as very much rook-bound, and it is impossible in many places to reach the river. The general run of the river is a point north of magnetic east for about eight or nine miles; it then takes a turn to the N.E., and disappears in what looks like a pass through the ranges. It passes Mount Tyndall in a N.N.E. direction. There are two glaciers coming from Mount Tyndall, one on the north and another on the N.N.W. aide, divided by a spur running about N.W. The N.N. W. glacier is the longest, reaching nearly to the river, and is very much covered with moraine. The Waiho Is half as long again as the Totara after entering the gorge. Their journey iuto the gorge was a most dangerous one, and not fit for any man to undertake. If a party was on the gorge when the snow came down they would most certainly starve. THE SECOND TRIP. A second trip was made by German Harry, a miner named Nisbett, who has been working at the foot of the Waiho Gorge for some years past, and the Spencers, also a miner named Walmer, known as Waiho Jack. I am not quite certain whether both or only one of the Spencers went over the second time. They took tools and some more provisions than on the former occasion, but with the perilous places they had to get over they were unable to take much of a swag. They reached the same spot after running terrible risks, and returned with five ounces six pennyweights of gold, which they had obtained in a very small compass. They were on the ground on the second occasion for n day and a-half. They first obtained three pennyweights on the bare crevice, and subsequently managed to pick out the quantity above stated, the heaviest piece being between four and five pennyweights. Those who have seen the gold describe it as shotty and not very much water worn. It is reported to have bern sold to Mr. Benyon, storekeeper at Okarito, from whom the party procured a fresh supply of provisions, and two of them, namely, German Harry and Nisbett, have started again. On this THIRD TRIP, Zala accompanied them up the gorge and to the top of Mount Mueller, going about two miles beyond the trig station. After leaving the trig station, ho says they had to go up nearly 2000 feet, when they came to a pass, which in point of danger is almost beyond description. For a considerable distance the ridge is only about 22 inches wide, and is in parts undermined towards the south and as steep as the wall of a house on the north side, with hundreds of feet underneath, so if an accident happened there would be no possible escape. German Harry took the lead, and got over in safety, but under great risk. Nisbett followed, and had to creep along on his hands and knees for two or three hundred yards. Zala had only six pounds weight of flour and a few biscuits, and seeing the danger, he preIferred returning, which he has done with the intention of returning with two of his mates

from Kosa. X believe he started again yesterday overland, and will, if possible, try to discover some easier track than the one referred to. German Harry and Nesbitt havesufficienttucker to last them for three or four weeks, and they only got over on Thursday last. The worst part of the journey is said to be beyond that portion just described, in getting over what has been called Mount Burster. There in parts they had to slide down on the icy boulders with nails in their boots an inch long, and frequently by the assistance of a rope. Three others are reported to have gone the length of Mount Mueller, but returned rather than face the perils that appeared to await them beyond that point. Among these was a man named Samuel Harper. From Okarito to the Gorge may be said to be a day’s tramp, from the Gorge to Mount Mueller another day, and from Mount Mueller down a third day. The foregoing is the unvarnished tale of those who have visited the ground and obtained the gold. And now let me add a few words on THE DANGERS OF THE JOURNEY, lest any should be tempted to venture in that direction. Mr. Charles Spencer’s concluding words to a friend here are—“Be cautious how you make this public, as if a rush were to take place now they would very likely have to stay there all the winter, and without a track, there would certainly be Ipsa of life. I do not say there is a payable goldfield. I just give you the facts that we picked the gold out of the crevices. It would take a lot of gold to turn me into a miner.” Zala, who has done more roughing on the Coast, fully endorses Spencer’s remarks as to the dangers, and in a note X received previous to this reaching town on Tuesday, he concludes, “ You may safely say that it is useless for any one to go until a better track is found,” IN CONCLUSION,

I desire to say, though the news of gold having been discovered in a locality hitherto unknown has already made some talk in Okarito, yet to those who are best acquainted with the pathcy nature of many of the rivers and creeks in that neighborhood, the circumstances reported are not to create any great wonder or undue excitement. It may possibly be nothing more than a mere pocket of alluvial gold which has luckily been stumbled upon, and upon the ground being further tested, the limit may be proved to be exceedingly circumscribed. Though this report is made up of threads, and patches, and is consequently incomplete, should the work progress, and any further finds be disclosed, arrangements are made that the latest and reliable accounts will be given in this journal from a correspondent who has no aim or object to serve beyond prospecting the locality on his own behalf, and communicating such news as may interest the public. Even the firmest ■ believers in the undeveloped wealth of the South must not forget the mad stampedes which took place to Bruce Bay, the Haast, and other parts of that district, and the very unsatisfactory results which attended them. In a few weeks something more authentic as to the value and extent of the ground may be ascertained.