THE AFRICAN GOLDFIELDS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 40, 14 November 1868, Page 3

THE AFRICAN GOLDFIELDS.

The London Timeshan the following in reference to the goldfields in Africa : — The confirmation ©f the gold discoveries in South Africa appears from the Natal advices to have been received from sources to. which credit is attached by all parties in the colony*- Until now' nothing had been heard of the exploring expedition of sixty or seventy men which had started for the district in March last, but a communication from a missionary had just arrived to the effect that on the 10th May they were all successfully at work, and' that they were "so dazzled by the- unparalleled richness of tlie gold veins in the surface quartz, that instead of attending to any alluvial deposits, they confined themselves to hammering and blasting at the reef, following the dip of the veins, which grow richer and richer the further they "advance." The veins, it is added, " are sometimes more than. an inch broad, and some of the small flat pieces of quartz obtained contain, at a rough valuation, from £1 to £3 of gold in a pure form." Numerous other parties were now making arrangements to start for the Bpot, and although the distance from the Natal frontier is about 800 miles, there appear to be few difficulties in the way. The natives are not numerous, and the dominant chief is said to be very friendly to the English. " "Water and pasturage abound, provisions are cheap, and the climate is healthy." Port i DUrban, Natal, seems to be considered J the best point for arrival from Europe, ] and a large German immigration, attracted probably by the fact of Mr. Mauch, the discoverer, being a Prussian, is said to be in preparation. The next mail may be expected to put an end to all doubts on the subject. The matter is of such extraordinary importance to tho people of Natal, and naturally creates so mu^h excitement there, that until positive details and specimens shall have been received everything with regard to it from that quarter must be treated with reserve. The capacity and climate of the colony are such, especially when the benefit it is likely to derive from the possession, apparently, of abundance of coal ia taken into account, that there can be little doubt the rise of DUrban would be even more rapid than that of Melbourne -if any adequate markets were opened up for its productions.