YORK PENINSULA EXPLORATIONS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5388, 4 July 1878, Page 3

YORK PENINSULA EXPLORATIONS.

Mr, J. Doyle lifj.3 Ifirjdly furnished us (IfoUyhinton Mininrj Newa) with the following particulars of tie explorations of tho party of which ho was a member upon Cope York Peninsula during the months of January, February, March, and a portion of April. Doyle describes the country he and his fellow explorers travelled as being "mean and miserable.” The greater portion was conglomerate. Belts of slate and granite country were crossed occasionally, and in the latter locality .there was abundance of grass and water. His opinion is that no goldfield worth the name will ever be discovered in tho’distriots they traversed- Hutches - qiicli as Watson's party dropped upon at the "Log Hut,” on ■ tho Coen,' may bo found; but, judging by the appearance of tho

country, and the poor result of his party’s careful prospecting, not to speak of tho indifferent success that attended the work of the other parties who were exploring the same region, there is little probability of a goldfield ever being found in it. Tho tew reefs that were discovered and prospected carried very light, fine gold, such as would not,’be considered payable on the Hodgkinson. None of them were tried below the surface, however, but that wis in consequence of the poor inducements they offered to the prospectors by the surface show. The fall of rain daring the time Doyle and party were out was both heavy and continuous. With but the exception of a fortnight's fine weather during the month of February, the rainfall may be said to have been unceasing. In consequence, no prospecting could be carried on in the larger or rivers. The ravines in all the likely-looking localities were well prospected, but nothing more than a “ few coarse specks” rewarded tho explorers. The blacks were numerous and troublesome, and made frequent attacks on the party. On one occasion a member of the party had his horse speared under him, and a number of the horses were speared. Doyle and his mate only succeeded in bringing back three out of eight, and these, through the poverty of the land, were in a miserably poor condition The Coen is described as an ever-flowmg'streain, with as large a body of water as tho Mitchell, but a very much smaller bed. Tho northern bank of another fine stream (taken for the Batavia), was run up for seventy or eighty miles, without any success attending the work of prospecting, which was steadily carried on. This party, which left Cooktown on the Bth of January, included Keys, Brady, Ellem, Campbell, Lynch, Dorrington, and Doyle. They were fully equipped for prospecting, and had four months’ supplies with them. After travelling in a north-westerly direction for about 140 miles, the party crossed a main line of ranges, and got ou to the Oolemau waters.' After this a granite country was crossed, in whieh “fine colors were got in places.” The Coen waters were next reached, on tho west side of the dividing range. The party arrived here about the end of January. Watson’s party was then fouud camped at the “ Log Hut,” on the Coen, but preparing to shift. Doyle and party prospected in this neighborhood for ten days, getting nothing but fine colors. There are two distinct lines of reef here, carrying fine gold in places, but not in payable quantities. Watson’s party had been lucky enough to drop on a* patch of 160ozs. in this locality. The two parties then amalgamated, forming a stout band of fifteen men and forty horses, and started in a north-easterly direction, which was followed for seventy miles. At a river called the Alligator, flowing into the Pacific Ocean, a split occurred in the camp, six of the party going westward, .and the remainder continuing on a north-easterly and northerly course for 150 miles, but-travelling in a zigzag manner, and prospecting the country all the way.. Mount Farenough, the farthest point north reached, was estimated to be within sixty miles of Cape York. Here long low-lying sand ridges were seen, which are said to extend to within the same distance of the point of the Peninsula, and this, together with the appearance of the country to the north of their position, which was flat, and devoid of ’ any landmarks, conSrms the explorers in their belief that they were not very far distant from the Gape. Here “ strong colors” were obtained in all the ravines prospected. .There are plenty of reefs also, but very poor iu gold. From Mount Farenough a westerly course was followed for forty miles, and nothing then being found, the party turned their steps homeward.