NOTES FROM THE WAKAMARINA.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume I, Issue 3, 4 February 1890, Page 2

NOTES FROM THE WAKAMARINA.

■(From Oar- Own Thera is every probability these, almost forsaken <Ugj;ings. again lookup up, They have long languished foifwant of enterprise an I capital, but now ~ that, bath have recently been expended, we hope to receive adequate results. Several spurts have been male by .floating companies to work favourite spots, both alluvial and reef, but for same cause or other have, for the most part, failed. This is to. be accounted for in two ways. One has been in the want of engineering skill, and the other that the capital tearkei has been too"" little, or only bn paper- With a comoination of these two requisites, mm enterprise and

mining pursuits, there are many places which, if well trial, would open a field to employ thousands of hinds in remunerative labour. Tuere are hundreds of acres of water formed terries land, which, if denuded of its danse covering of lofty pines, birch, and unwould be an irresistible attraction to speculative miners. Bat, like a miser’s weilth, it is wrapped in obscurity, and will probably be so for ages to come. We want a parental government to dorm tracks, and explore these unknown regions, or stimulate the exertions of capitalists by promise of reward for fresh discoveries. How cam we expect this difficult country to he penetrated, and its resources : disclosed by the few men (in comparison with the extent of the goldfield) that are there;, and those men with but very limited purses. Should the Golden Bar, Duchess of Albany, and Hry-for-it leases prove their reefs to be as rich as is expected, there is no doubt but ere long the Wakamarina will receive* a large influx of population. The manager, Mr McGlashan, is very sanguine .. of results, and from what your oorres-. pondent saw, there is good foundation for the belief that the Golden Bar and ' the others named, adjoining claims on the same reef will turn out well at tlie first crushing. Aout. .800 tons of stone have been taken out of the high ' level tunnel, which struck the reef at 100 feet, and is driven along the lode 100 feet each way, north and south, fair prospects are to be obtained on crashing this stone. • The lower level, ; 115 feet below this, is driven 257 feet having struck the reef; this has been cut into six feet without coming to the other side of it, on crushing roughly about one pound weight of the stone from the last blast and washing in a dish, a good show of fine gold was obtained, and as this was not picked stone, it is likely that it will be a fair average prospect of the reef—this being :go—it must become a very valuable property, and establish confidence in pushing on the adjoining companies claims. Iron pyrites are very abundant in the stone, and so heavy that, by a washing process, it is almost impossible to separate them from the fine gold that seems to cling to them. Of course the quicksilver over which the crushings pass will retain the gold, ani there is no doubt but the pyrites will pay handsomely under chemical treatment. Tne Duchess of Albany has been trenched to the outcrop, anl driven 80 feet, about 103 feet below the crown. Another 100 feet driving will reach the reef at this level. Tne course of dip is clearly prove 1 in the Golden Bar low level tunnel to be about one in three. Surveys are going on for water races, the right of water hiving been secured. Catting and takiag out stone in the Golden Bar reef is being vigorously pushed on unler three suifts of men. Machinery consisting of a 20-heal stamper b ittary is expects 1 to be placed on the gm.il within three or four months. Tne grale to the mine is good, and an expenditure of a little over £203 would make the road on the government surveys 1 line to the mi-1 chine site. This is a fair claim on the Gold Fields’ Revenue, as the gold duty alone should sooa recoup the amount expended'for this desirable and necessary work. Mr Ahern has vary ere likably acjuifcfcei, himielf as a mining engineer in the work nov nearly brought to a completion at the Deep Greek gorge. Everything is of a very permanent character, all the breast work anl sill pieees are bolfcel to the solid rock, anl all necessary provision made for overflow of water in flool. The greatest enemies to such works are trees coming down, anl these (unless unler extraordinary circumstances) would have little elect in shifting this structure. Pumping operations are supposed to commence in about a week, and then, if all goes well, the mystery will be revealed, gold or no gold 1 the latter alternative is scarcely feasible, as a large amount of the precious metal mist have been poured - into it from the river and Deep Creek, mad the hand of man has to a certainty never taken it out. Many will be anxiously looking forward to the result of this undertaking. Some old diggers say that the gold could not ge| past it, if so, what a jewellers shop it must be! Should such be the case, it confirms my. humble theory that the gold found in the river has been fed from the terraces, anl that richer leads exist in the river’s banks than has ever been found in its stream. Tne Waka* marina’s present course, being its last) is in all probability the poorest in mineral wealth—seek for gold in hei r'* fountain sid* anl. terraces, anl ths labour will not be expands! in vain What cannot be accomplished by th; few can be brought to success by th many, if' united; and let their motti he—“ Faint not, fail not I”