THE SEARCH FOR GOLD.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 85, 25 September 1869, Page 5

THE SEARCH FOR GOLD.

(Prom the " West Coast Times.")

The following characteristic tetter we have received from one of the oldest and most experienced prospectors on the Coast. "We think if there were more like him in Westland the County would be more prosperous: —

Omini Cove, August 16, 1869. Sib,— l duly received the papers you were kind enough to send, for which I am truly thankful ; they are very acceptable, in these long nights, so far away from news or anything else. The steamer went away in such a hurry that I had no time to drop a few lines ; at the same time, I had (and have) nothing of any importance to .communicate. "When I arrived here, •we and two more) were pretty *hort; of provisions, and, before the jSteamer returned, we had to exist the best way we could, for a few days on fish and whatever we could pick up, but we have plenty now, and I do not *hink we shall be short again. "We are at work in a small bight that I prospected some time ago, and will finish in about two months, when I expect we will have to look for fresh ground. I know there is a considerable extent of gold-bearing country here ; whether it will pay or not has ■to be proved yet. I know it has had po trial, and I firmly believe gold will yet be found in payable quantities ; yet, I may be deceived, and time will tell. I believe the Council should take steps immediately to have this quarter prospected, as it is evident, even by the reports of those that have tried least in it, that there is gold knocking about, and I am certain the Crovernment is spending, and will •spend, a great deal more in subsidising a steamer, for what purpose? Merely attending on a few fossickers that are scraping on old wrought-out beaches for a living, who neither have the means nor the will to try what the country is made of inland ; and indeed it is not an easy matter to prospect inland in any place about "Westland, this quarter not being the best either. Here you have to be your own packhorse, and in places, after doing your best, not getting over two or three miles in a day, actually to have to cut ■yourself out and crawl on your belly, tearing your clothes to rags, hands and face scratched and bleeding, not considering the effects on a man's constitution. It was all gone through in other parts of "Westland before there were any tracks or stores either ; but people will say, " Oh, there have been so many down South, and no one has done any good ; if there had been payable gold, some one would have come across it before this." But any one acquainted with the past of Westland knows what time it has taken to find the gold that has been got in it. I recollect when the Greenstone was first discovered, that after the second trip of the "Nelson" steamer, the miners that went back unsuccessful said that "it was only a few old Buller fossickers, that were merely working for tucker," and nothing but disappointment seemed to await every one that went. The steamers were rushed, the ptores were rushed, and Hunt was rushed to that extent that he had to • leave the Coast, in fact there appeared to be nothing of importance got till about January, ,1865, when the Six Mile was started, and I can recollect well when in going up to the latter that we passed sever! old camping places and saw where previous parties nad been trying without success. No doubt they had gone away under the impression that the place was no good. Still, it has been proved since that payable gold did then exist in every -direction, around then, alongside, and actually underneath where some of them had been camped. I remember .again, seeing several old camping places at the Three Mile or Hau Hau, »where parties had been trying very close to where there was good payable gold got afterwards. I also remember being at the G-rey in June, and seeing .over 300 diggers coming down in one week (the week ending 17th June, 1865) ; some of them had been up jeight or ten weeks — I was personally well acquainted with some of them. "Well, one and all had the same tune, " The country is no good. You can get the colour any place almost, but nothing to pay." Hokitika was looking rather 4io^ey about the same time, crowds of diggers standing here and there through the streets, Those that could pay their passage preparing to leave, and those that could not, cursing their bad luck for coming to the place. Hundreds had been South, and had come back disgusted. The few that were trying the black sand then were looked on like Chinamen. Hundreds ■were leaving weekly ; more going out than what were coming in ; and the diggers in general had no faith whatever m the place, till Jones,' south, Bed Jack's north, and the black sand on the beaches, and all these places had been prospected more or less previously, were made known. Since then, the Coast has been supporting a steady population up to this time. But when we come to consider the chances that are against us in prospecting, and compare what we can try (doing our best) with the country around us, it is not to be wondered at that it takes so long to fully, open up jua.J country, — as gold is got in strange fflfcie* •OfnetoM <m thtj top of fte

highest hills, in another quarter in the deepest gullies ; in fact, it is seldom that we ' find two different districts alike, and very often what old diggers will think an unlucky place, will turn out as well as the likely places. I have seen new chums, both in Victoria and New Zealand, setting in to sink in places where an old experienced miner would laugh at them ; and still I have seen them strike the metal ; but I believe it's a natural complaint to fancy we know all about what we have been following so long, and old diggers often, like other people, know too much, Experience teaches fools, no doubt, in many things, but very often leads astray in searching for gold, and all the science and intelligence that can be got to bear on it will only tell you that certain rocks belong to some scientific classification, perhaps silurian, or some other antedeluvian. age, that a great many of us know very little about, and that is the gold bearing formation, but it is evident that they cannot tell whether it will pay or not till they actually have to try it with pick and shovel, which any of us can do.

I went up to Ballarat from Greelong in 1854 ; met a great many coming down, and enquired particularly if there was any gold to be got. Well, three out of every five advised me strongly to go back, the diggings were done. When Gabriel's was first found, I came over from Victoria with the first trip of the Lightning. There were 750 passengers, of whom 400 went back. About 50 of us started from Dunedin together ; when we got tO Tokomairiro there were 20 left, and when wo got to Waitahuna there were only seven left. Every one we met on the road coming back said, " Oh, it's only a patch, and all occupied " Look also to the first of the Dunstan. How many came back disappointed ? Why, the police had to protect Hartly from the crowd. And I could mention several rushes in Victoria where I have seen prospectors badly used by an infuriated crowd, because they did not get a prospect to suit them at the time, and then the place turned out well afterwards. In conclusion, any one that has had any experience in searching for gold in Westland, knows that it has taken a great deal of time and trouble to find. I expect I will be taking up too much of your valuable space ; but I would urge upon the Government and the people that there is yet any amount of gold in Westland, and efforts shonld be systematically made to find it. Andrew H. "Williamson. P.S. — I do not intend to prospect inland for two months' time, at any rate, and you can depend on timely notice if I come across anything worth.— A. H. W.