THE KIMBERLEY GOLDFIELDS.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 162, 24 July 1886, Page 9

THE KIMBERLEY GOLDFIELDS.

A Trip to Cambridge Gulf. THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE " SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. ") Thursday Island, June 8. Tour readers will recollect that upon the arrival of Victoria at Townaville I wired you briefly the result of our trip to that port. Believing that a description of the "Voyage will be of interest to those who have their mind's eye fixed on the great *€tar in the Nortk— Kimberley— I will proceed to give a resmie ot the chief incidents connected with our trip to this port The A S.N. Company's s.s. Victoria, Captain Ballister, weighed anchor at , the -Circular Quay, Sydney, with "2o saloon and , 120 steerage passengers, and lt7 horses, at 10.30 a.m on the 27th May last. After "passing Queensland's capital the wind was fia our favour, and on Monday afternoon, «bout midnight we entered between the mainland of Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef. This reef extends right on to the coast of New Guinea—some 2,000 miles -the whole distance being studded with islands composed almost exclusively of rock, and which are known to mariners •as the Thovjsand-and-One Islands. On Tuesday morning we entered Whitsunday passage, and passed a lighthouse Bituated on Pine Island, still skirting the barren /eoasfe of Queensland. We took a pilot on board at Townsville, viz., Captain Thompson, who took charge of us as far as Thursday Island. During the day it was discovered 'that many of the horses on board had re--ceived a terrible knocking about during the rough weather, and after diniier three had to be hove up out the 'tween decks for the purpose of having 'their injuries attended to. It was only just In time. We had already had to throw overboard, and had these been below for two more days they would have shared the came fate as the others. ■: On Saturday, Jnne sth, Captain Thompson took charge from here the entrance of Torres Straits- These straits are rightly called the most dangerous in Australasia, whilst some aver that they are the most intricate navigable waters in the world. / After the rough weather of the first few idays all the passengers in the saloon, as well as in the steerage, settled down to «njoy themselves, and we have all succeeded admirably. To give your readers an idea of the intentions of th 9 principal parties on board, I will enumerate them. JTirat, then, is Colonel Sherman, who is going out on a surveying and exploring expedition for the Western Australian Government. The Colonel has a splendid "waggon, four fine horees, and everything necessary for a rough .trip. The second party, whose leader is Mr George Craig, represents the Kimberley Squatting and Investment Company — of which he is one. This company owns 500,000 acres, adjoining the Duke of Manchester's lands, and It is Mr Craig's intention to the roughly inspect and report upon other large areas, "both as to their auriferous and grazing resources. This estate is already stocked with cattle and horees, whioh were driven "through from Queensland and the Northern Territory. Mr Craig has a thoroughly equipped party with him, including Mr Alfred Smart, who goes out as overseer. He takes fifteen horses, 4md also provisions sufficient to last himself and company six or eight months. The third party is represented by George Desailly, Claude Desailly, and George Bunny. They are thoroughly equipped, go out to open country, prospect, &c. They have a dray with them and five horses. The fourth party, which is the strongest and best equipped on board, consists of Messrs J. M. Sweet, John Russel, Gr Mayer, 'W. B. Johnson, W. C. -Johnson, and Thomas Hogan. They have 12 fine horses with them, a thorough brace waggonette, with stilt; half-a-dozen pack eaddles, six riding saddles, and about two tons of provisions - sufficient fo last six or eight months. They are also "well armed with Winchester rifles breechloaders, and revolvers. They will devote their attention principally to prospecting for payable quarte reefing country, when, if successful, it is their intention to send to Sydney for a good 15- head quartzcrusbing nachine. Amongst those going out to establish stores, &c, are Mr G. W. *Beat, who has M. George Silcock with him as manager. They have. the materials on board with which to construct a large store 60 feet by 30 feet j and also have carpenters to erect the same. They|have about 100 tons of general merchandise— chiefly provisions —and will start on an extensive scale, so that future pioneers may rely upon being able to •procure plenty of provisions at Derby, where this firm intend to establish themselves. Then Comes Mr Burton Sampson, who represents a Sydney syndicate, and intends opening business at Derby. He has a quantity of general stores on board, and also the material for buildings. Mr Sampson in agent for the charterers, and will also act in that capacity at King's Sound. Lastly, amongst the business men is Mr James Rooke, an old Sunny Corner identity, "who intends starting at Cambridge Gulf as auctioneer, commission and forwarding agent, and general broker, &c. Most of those on board, including Messrs Sweet's, Craig's, and Desailly's parties, intend landing at Cambridge Gulf, and a great number of the steerage passengers Have also decided to land there. I will not pretend to advise as to which is the best rout to the diggings, Gulf or Derby ; but «s it is generally conceded that the Gulf is the best landing place, nearly all the passengers who have horses prefer getting out there. Summary of Distances. The following distances from various ports to Cambridge Gulf and King's Sound may prove interesting to intending travellers :—

Miles Sydney to the Gulf 2.800 Sydney to King's Sound (Derby) 3.280 Sydney to Townsville .. .. 1,250 Townsville to Cooktown .. .. 250 Cooktown to Thursday Island .. 403 Thursday Island to Cambridge Gulf 980 Cambric ge Gulf to Derby .. .. 480 Lacr oase Island, atthe mouth of Cambridge <Julf, is distant, by steamer track, from the following places : — Sea miles Port Darwin, about „ .. .. 210 King's Sound (Derby), about .. 480 Cossack, about .. 930 Fremantle, about .. .. «. 1,850 Batavia (by Sunda Strait), about 1,450 Singapore, about .. .... J,950 . Hongkong, about .. .. .. 3 300 Colombo, about. . .. _ .. 3,200 Mauritius (Port Louis) . . . . 4,000

Perth, the capital of Western Australia, is between 12 and 13 miles from Fremantle. Arthur Diamond (of P. Palk and Co.) •writes, to bis firm at Adelaide from Derby -as follows, with reference , to the Kimberley , soldfields :— '.« I saw a number of returned •diggers, and from all information gathered ■«««*«,: can ; be no doubt :tha* ; ithe goldfi4lds are vgeiimne,#'^^ Gold i= h^B*^bee'n fOnnd - -over ? : 'a"^l&rjg^ lafcfoti • : 6i ■> •conntr'y^ •And there are evidences -of gold'bearing 1

ruefs in profusion. At the »came time it cannot be too often repeated that it is mad,ness for any but well equipped parties to attempt the journey. Horses are a sine qua non, and also a good supply of money to purchase supplies, which will be found plentiful in Derby and at a reasonable price. At present water is very scarce on the field, but there is a good supply on the track. I would not advise parties to bring drays; packhorses are preferable and safer on account of the state of the track in some places. I saw in a Perth newspaper that clerks and shopmen are on their way up to Derby. It is simply madness for such to go at the present time as there ia no chance of employment. The Victoria, steamer, arrived at Townaville from Derby, via Thursday Island. The voyage has been a successful one, only two horses being lost At Wyndham, Cambridge Gulf, the vessel was within 200 yds of, the shore, and not the least difficulty waß experienced in landing the , horses. Over 600. men and 400 horses left the Gambier, Victoria, and Afghan at Cambridge Gulf, and those three vessels did not take more than 100 men and 50- horses into Derby. Provisions are very cheap at both Cambridge Gulf and Derby, owing to the great rush of storekeepers. Flour is gelling on the ground for 14ss per 1001 b. O'Dpnnel, for a consideration, headed the Sydney contingent of the three steamers en route for the field, leaving Wyndham on June 15, th but the. Queenalanders declined to employ him. 1 Carr Boyd, le3 a little party which left on the 17th, and Hogan, Sweet and party left a few days later. AH the miners who were bushmen left for the field within a week, but many started, went a stage on the journey and then turned back. There is splendid feed in the vicinity of Wyndham. After remaining at Cambridge Gulf eight days, the Victoria left for Derby and lightered the balance of her passengers and cargo there. At Derby over 100 men are engaged at 10s per day in making a jetty. 40 of these men are miners ; the other 60 were brought from Perth under engagement. More men would be put on, but there are no tools. About 100 are waiting at Derby for something to turn up. Hall and Slattery's prospecting party are waiting for rain before going back to the field. Hall has gone to Perth to push the claim of the party for the prospecting award. Owing to the entire absence of storage accommodation, large quantities of goods are exposed to the weather, and new fitorekeepers are half distracted. Twelve per cent is levied on everything, from flour to second-hand packsaddles j even washerwomen are charged £10 for business licenses. Publicans have to wait for three months before obtaining a permit to sell, and the police are very active. The Afghan and Catterthun struck the rock mentioned by the oaptain of the Memuir heavily, but the Victoria escaped it. and the total losses of stock were— Gambler, 13 horses j Afghan, 8 j Victoria, 2. The Victoria brought 17 miners back for Townßville from Derby, and has seven on board for Sydney. The correspondent of the "Sydney Morn ing Herald " writeH : No reliable news is obtainable about the prospects of the diggings. Mr O'Donnell, the explorer, came through from the field six weeks ago, and states that there were then only about 100 men on the field ; but all were getting more or less gold. When the passengers from the steamers reach the field it is estimated that there will be 1300 there. Miners are advised not to rush to Cambridge Gulf until more definite informatfou has been received about the diggings than is at present obtainable. There is a Government Resident, and also police and Custom-house officers at Cambridge Gulf, but they aro camped in tents. They have not the slightest idea what those on the digging B*"^8 *"^ doing, although it is pretty certain that, all told, 2,000 ounce* have been got. Mr O'Donnell went back on the 15th instant as leader of a party, composed of passengers from the Gambier and Afghan. Mr Carr Boyd left on the 16th with a small party. Mr Hogan, the explorer, with Mr Sweet and his party, left on the 19th, and. will reach there within 20 day?, Although it is midwinter, the weather during the days is hot and dry, but the nights and mornings are pleasant. So far there have been no mosquitos in the neighbourhood of the Gulf, and the place is wonderfully clear of flies. Alligators abound in the channel and rivers, but no danger is apprehended from them, unless molested.