THE AUSTRALIAN GOLDFIELDS.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 40, 22 November 1871, Page 3

THE AUSTRALIAN GOLDFIELDS.

Emu Creek.— ln its latest weekly report the Jfin in<j Record says : —Y e are glad to he able to report that the resumed activity to which we adverted in our last issue still continues ; all the machines then at work are still being busily employed, with every probability of their continuing so for an indefinite time to come. We have been endeavouring to obtain reliable information of the latest rush to the Levels, and we are informed that there are at present about seventy people on the ground. Our informant, who came, into town this morning from these diggiugs, states that they are

situated 15 miles on the other side of the Billabong, about 55 miles from here. The sinking is from 10 to 1G feet, and the prospects obtained by his party were fully £dwt. of coarse gold to tho dish. The prospecting party are said to have got 14dwt. to the dish ; but this we cannot vouch for. There is also on the ground taken up by the prospectors, R. Taylor and party, strong indications of a reef being somewhere in the immediate vicinity, as they have in sinking gone through a reef of loose rubblev stone, bearing slight traces of gold throughout. They are sanguine that ere long they will come upon a payable reef. We trust this ground may turn out as well as these reports lead us to believe it may, as it would prove a great boon to this district, and prevent our miners straying to more distant scenes in search of a new El Dorado. Much, however, as we would wish to believe this news, we must caution our mining friends not to act upon it until further information is obtained from the spot. Although we are inclined to place every reliance on the truth of the statement made to us, yet we cannot help being aware that miners are often apt, unwittingly, to exaggerate their own good fortune. Our reports from the machines this week we subjoin :—Mr. Cunningham's machine is on a lot of stone from the Enterprise reef, which is expected to be finished to-day. Messrs. Bevan and Ilopkirk are crushing a lot of 200 tons of stone from the Britannia reef, for Messrs. Hamilton and party, which is expected will be finished in about ten days. This stone, it is expected, will turn out very well. Mr. Vaughan’s machine has been engaged on a lot of stone from No. 1 North Homeward Bound, the total yield being about 51Gozs. The particulars wc have not as yet been able to obtain. At the Kohinoor machine Messrs. Rich, Young, and party are engaged on a lot of their own stone, about 180 tons, raised from No. 1 North O’Brien’s, -which will be finished to-morrow; this stone, it is expected, will yield from -loz. to 12dwts. to the ton. Since our last report, Messrs. Hollister and' Cooper, at the Brundah machine, have put through 24 tons of stone from the prospecting claim Homeward Bound, which yielded loz. ldwt. per ton, and are now engaged on 50 tons of alluvial, which they expect to finish to-day. Cur.RAJONG. —The Forbes Times of Saturday reports that on Wednesday, No. 3 South bushman.s Lead, came on extra-rich stuff and from a very small quantity of dirt they picked 9oz of gold, one of the pieces weighing soz. Bdwts, It will give an idea of the quality of the dirt, when about a table-spoonful of dirt yielded 17 dwts., and this is not all, for both Nos. G and seven south are om excellent gold, and the intermediate Nos. are driving, and several holes south are now on the deep ground but not yet bottomed, and I have more yet for those who sneer at it as “only a patch,” for the difficulties of tracing the north end have vanished, and a hole bottomed by the men (siniving promiscuously) at 93 feet, and which turns out to be in No. 3 North, has excellent gold ; several prospects tried before Mr Commissioner Dalton gave 1 dwt. to the dish all through. This is, as I hinted last week, in the direction of “ Miller’s Lookout,” and by the appearance of the country there is every promise of a long lead. Claims 'are occupied to No. 80 on either side of the prospectors, but I expect that before next week the numbers will be much higher. People are flocking in from all directions, and shares arc in demand, several prospecting claims have been applied for and time will prove that the “stickers” at Currajong have not over-estimated its resources one whit. All the claims taken up on or before the 24th August, and over sixty feet, are on the frontage under the old regulations ; but the lead is to. be worked under the new, of which I shall have at a future time plenty to say. Suffice it for the present to say, the regulation compelling sinking for a mile ahead of last payable shaft docs not and cannot work well, and will cause a great amount of profitless labour, and press unmercifully heavy on the miners -who happen to be poor. Mr. Commissioner Dalton is on the ground, and has been exercising patience to a great extent. The haggling, wraggling talk and bush law is of a very extensive character, but his decisions, as far as he has gone, have given very general satisfaction ; but, as they are not yet completed, I will report them in next letter. I forgot that at the prospecting claim, or thereabouts, the lead has taken a turn at almost right angles ; a new base line had to be laid down, amid a great deal of bother and confusion through conflicting interest.

Gulgong. —The Guardian of Saturday, presents the following report:—The usual fortnightly escort left on Thursday last, conveying 55840zs 3dwts 9grs. as the produce of this goldfield ior the past fortnight. This amount is 1G470z larger than the previous escort, and almost onehalf of it is the yield of one claim—No. 4 N. Happy Valley —which gave 27450z5. for 179 loads, or an average of over Is£ ozs. to the load, which has, we think, never.before been equalled in the colony, and rarely out of it. There are no new discoveries to report on any of the real or supposed leads. There has been some little excitement about the Canadian Lead, in the prospecting claim of which there is a great depth of wash-dirt, which yields about a quarter ounce to the load. With water close to the claim, and systematic working, this yield would pay well. As usual, private property “ bars the way,” there being free selection on every side, so miners must pay the orthodox £1 per month for the privilege of searching for gold on what is practically Crown lands. This subject must be dealt with in the ensuing session, or there will be what the Americans call a “difficulty.” Rappe’s Gully and the Three Mile Rush continue to be an attraction to a limited number of miners, the greater part of whom find remunerative employment. The surrounding conntry is being prospected thoroughly, but, so far, without success. The Helvetia and Moonlight leads have still their many believers, who hope almost against hope that these localities will prove to be extensive leads, On the former lead the prospectors are on good gold, nuggets being occasionally found ; but so far the gold has not been traced away from this claim for any distance. On Stonev Creek, near Cooyal, whcie there was a small rush a couple of months ago, a nugget weighing 16ozs. has been unearthed. A few parties have settled down on these quiet workings, and apparently are satisfied with their yield. The various prospecting parties on the supposed leads are still steadily working away, but none have yet made a “ sign ” that they arc on gold. Each party is closely shepherded by large numbers of miners who cannot find anything more profitable to engage in. Though there has been much prospecting done within a radius of three miles around Gulgong no payable lead of any extent lias—strange to say—being found other than the famous Happy Valley and Black Leads. This fact, coupled with the absence of encouragement for costly prospecting, and the great insecurity of title that prevails under the existing mongrel

frontage system, serves to make the futuro of this goldfield a puzzle to the most experienced follower of gold-mining. The population is being daily added to, though as a set-off. many are leaving for the new rush near Forbes, from which locality accounts, on the whole favorable, have been received, though those who know the locality have great doubts of its being more than a “ patch.” Hill End. —According to the Times of Saturday, the South Star Company have cut a small vein contaiug gold. From the position of this lease—contiguous to claims from which large results were formerly obtained —wc have no doubt that stone fully equal to the prospectors’ will bo raised. If so, shareholders hopes will be fully realised. Wc have heard of a good few shares on this line changing hands last week at fair prices. Several more leases have beeu taken up last week on the Red Hill, and adjoining the Scandinavian and Royal Saxon companies. Dowst’s looks well between Anderson’s and Marquis of Lome. The Northumberland company are now in IGO feet with their tunnel, and have cut several veins. The country now going through is more settled, and we should not be surprised to hear of them coming on a payable reef any day from tho present indications ; this belief is backed up by all the land available in this neighborhood being applied for on lease by old resident miners, who should know the nature of the district. These particulars arc reported by tbc mining manager. On Tuesday last wc paid a visit to the Marquis of Lome and other claims in Golden Gully. The shaft of the Marquis is down several feet since we saw it last, and thc-y are sinking on a vein which is expected to carry gold when struck. The Princess Louise company are down 175 feet, with a very fine shaft, all sawn timber and centered to within six feet of the bottom. They have a fine, well-defined vein running through the shaft on which they are sinking through decomposed slate. The Just in Time are getting down with their shaft, and are now at a good depth. They are on to the blue slate, and expect before long to get a show. The other claims along the line are busy sinking. The United Reefers have a third contract let for sinking 50 feet —a fact which we accidentally heard; as no notice had been given us. This will make 250 feet they have sunk. They are also on the blue slate, and expect daily to cut something. The Excelsior Company, Sargent’s Reef, are sinking through a mixture of quartz and blue slate. They expect to strike the vein in a few feet. Wc hear that a company is about being formed to work a lease recently taken up on the ground formerly known as Peter tho Dane’s, situated about three miles and a half from Hawkins’ Hill, on the opposite side of the river from the Root Hog reef. Stone going at nine oz. to the ton has been taken from this reef in the old shaft, when the expense of packing to Tanibaroora was very great. This fact ought to give the present promoters a very good show, as they will have an engine near them. Wc hear that a company is being formed to work a lease at the Green Valley, taken up by Mr W. Holman. The company is to be floated in Sydney.