OKARITA.

West Coast Times, Issue 85, 19 December 1865, Page 2

OKARITA.

Wo havo been favored with the following communioation from agontleman lately arrived from the Southern Goldfields:— The accounts that have from time to time reached Hokitika respecting Okarita varying widely, I purpose giving you a short account of tho place, as I consider itimportant that reliable information should as muoh as possible be widoly disseminated for the benefit and guidance of the Westland public. The entranco to the Okaiita Rivor is vory narrow, and at the present time so shallow that vessels of a very light draught of water only can enter. It is formed by a long spit. tapering to a point, round which the river takes a ohnrp turn as it joins the sea; on the north Bide and tho south by low, flat land against which the flood tide sots with great force. There is a oloso roresemblance between the entranco to the Okirita and that to the port of Nelson, the long spit of the former being very j similar in appearance to tho Boulder Bank of the latter, the sea being on ono sido and the river On tho othor. The township; which is built qn the south sido of tho rivor, consists of about thirty stores, the most of which are doing very little business. Tho proprietors, howovor, are preparing for the rush they expeot very shortly to sot in ; but on what grounds thoy base this conclusion I have not tho slightest idea, unless they have done so through tho many reports in circulation of gold discovered in the ranges and other plncos inland. I made every enquiry relative to these reports, and htj,d several conversations with praotioal miners on the subjeot, who, although they could impart no defini'o information, or any that could be considered roliable — one and all were of opinion Okarita would go ahead, as thoro was any amount of ground they boliovcd men could mako wages in , Diggers however wore not satisfied with suoh returns ; and tho high prico provisions had been ruling at frightened a considerable number away. They considered that if tho necessaries of lifo woro to be obtained at moderate prices a larger population would settlo thero- Thero is no doubt that gold has been found in tho ranges, and of a very different quality from the bench metal already procured, consisting of coarso nuggcty samples, containing pieces weighing as muoh as 18 dwt. ,Tho storekeepers are very anxiously awaiting tho result of this prospeoting, as thoy considor tho tenuro of their stay at Okarita depend upon a successful result nttonding it ; the present state of things not warranting the supposition that a largo population could bo maintained there. In opposition, howerci*, to such dismal forebodings, the diggings in the vicinity of Okarita aro turning out well, one claim having already yielded nearly LIOOO worth of gold. The rush, in which it is situated, lies about six miles south of the township ; and thero is a rumor that payablo gold had beon struck nino inilos further south ngiin. Tho country round Okarita is moro opon than in tho neighborhood of Hokitika, many splondid lugoons existing, tho haunt of swarms of wild fowl, i Extensive patohos of griss land bordor them, in which thoro is sufiioicnt feed to support a good number of horses and cattlo. Fish too is moro plontlful than at tho latter place, vory fino flounders abounding- along the sea coast, while the lagoons are woll stookod with cols and a species of trout ■ Tho bush, responding to tho Oall upon it by tho mlvanoing summer, is rapidly assuming its holiday attiro, putting forth blossoms most lavishly, wild ilowcrs boing mob in all directions. I rccogr.isod sevornl indigenous to tho Luko country in Otngo, amongst whioh woro tho wild fusohia.convolvuluH, gernnlura, and that beautiful ovcrgroen bearing a profusion of ight

crimson blossoms, tho name of which I know not. Tho accounts from Bruco Bay are exceedingly unfavorable, everybody leaving that can possibly get away. Information reached Okarita just before I left, of tbe'arrival of a party of miners from Otago, via the overland route, who had endured the most dreadful sufferings by tho way. Tho poor follows left Queenstown, en route for Jackson's Bay, following Pyke's track until they struck the Haast R^vcr l Here Uioy used the last of their provisions, and having neither guns nor ammunition for nine days, existed on a peou-. liar bluo bird that abounded there", depending entirely on the successful efforts of their dog in catching thorn, the birds in question being unable to fly, but could run with exceeding swiftness. Had it been only possible to havo procured tliem more plentifully, the meil would havo done woll enough, ns the birds, when plucked, weighed about 7 lbs each, but thoy were so nimble of foot as to render it impossible for tho dog to catch a supply at all adequate to the wants of tho party. For nine days they travelled down the north bank of the abovo stream, at tho end of that period reaching tho Blueßiver, whero they constructed a raft with the intention of crossing it, and tw6 of their number, with the swags belonging to tho whole party, first a'tompted tho. dangorous passage. All wont well (Until, tbdy reached the centroof the stream, when the raft caught upon a snag and capsized, men and swags being immediately precipitatedintb the furious torrent. Ono of them 1 struok out and reached the opposite sido safely, but, sad to relate; tho other, a fino young man, agel about four or five and twenty— whose" namo wad Georgo M'Rae, was drowned, being observed to throw his hjinds up Arid go down like a stone. He was never scon a^ain. The one who escaped, seeing the utter impossibility- of rejoining, his party, and. being in a semi-delirious stato from fatigue and starvation, plunged recklessly into tbo bush, and .after wandering about some time (how long he had no idea) reached tKe Bruce Bay settlement, where ho was hospitably entortained, and as soon ns liq was sufficiently recovered to state where he bad left, his mates, a party was despatched, with provisions to their assistance, who happily succeeded in finding them and conveying them in safety to Bruce Bay. From the same source that I obtained the above account, I also learnt that Captain Beveridgo (formerly pf , the Tiger), a"t present residing at Bru'ce Bay, lias in his charge a man in an insane state of mind. The poor creature was formerly in the employ of Mr Solby who left him down there, and is bo mad that the good Samaritans who watch over him find it requisite to use restraint to prevent him wandering into the bush. This a is matter demanding tho immediate interference of the authorities, who should at once take step 3to romovo him to Hokitika.