THE KIMBERLEY GOLD RUSH.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 156, 12 June 1886, Page 4

THE KIMBERLEY GOLD RUSH.

'-"'An- explorer's Opinion of the Field The -following is an extract from a letter * by'the explorer 'O >T >onnell to a friend in Melbourne, dated View-hill, Cambridge Gulf, March 20 last : — " Since writing you last I have had an interview with MThee, who came down from the diggings the day we arrived here. He speaks most favourably of the diggings, and, in formed me that, there are some fifty or sixty men up there prospecting on the Ord, Margaret,' Punton, and. Elvira' rivers, and that they are all getting gold. He has himself shown me a parcel of coarse gold which he has brought down — about 2oz.— a portion of 30oz. got by his party in a few days. It is a very good sample, being very clean and coarse, and several of the pieces being from 4 dwt. to 6 dwt. They often get 3 oz. a day. This lot he got in a few Slays, in an entirely different locality from that where it is reported j that other men were gotting plenty of gold. M'Phee would not have come down now, but he had entirely run out of rations, and came down here for supplies. He has left bis party where he found gold. He returns with me to-morrow, and we will travel as quickly as possible to the scene of the diggings, from whence I hope to send you a good report shortly. ",We will leave the river about 40 miles from here and then travel to the west of it and West of Carr Boyd Range Luke on to the head of the Brow, and to the West of the Rough Ranges I met with on my first trip, and from thence across the low broken ranges to the head of the Ord, thence to Panton and Elvira, which latter place I hope to reach in a little over 200 miles. When I arrived here I found several prospectors waiting for a chance to go to the diggings. I have made arrangements* with them to travel with me, I carrying their swags and digging implements, and feeding them on the way. The more good men that reach the scene of the digging the better it will be for the country. At the present time there are no pack horses here to pack the provisions on to the diggings, consequently the necessaries of life aie very dear. I understand all the gold found up to the present time has been got in creeks and gullies, without any labour in digging. P.S. — The enclosed information re the gold fields is authentic, as M'Phee lias him e elf given it to me, and he is a reliable man. (Signed) W. J. O'D."