OKARITA.

West Coast Times, Issue 164, 28 March 1866, Page 3

OKARITA.

i A OTTB OWK CORRESPONDENT.] March 25th. The rumor of eight Sieit, alluded to in my last, as having been drowned whilst prospecting in the vicinity o? the IJfaast River, has turned out to be untrue, as only one man (named Quinlan) T?as cTrowr/eil. Maher, Burns, and Coffey are safe and sound 5 —the two former are now in Bruce Bay. , The rushes both north and south' of Okarita have turned out failures, to a great extent. The number of miners at- I tracted to the north rush was so great that j the pegs stretched nearly seven miles, tht 1 great majority of the miners left for the south rush a couple of days after, where a great many vere equally disappointed. However, on both rushes several parties have set in, detcrmntert to give the ground a thorough trial. I have noticed a considerable number of tin pumps being carried to the south rush during the past three or four days, and I look upon it as a very good omen, as it indicates that parties are about commencing sluicing. On the Five-mile every one appears to be busy, and the amount of goods sold by some of the principal storekeepers is astonishing. I have been unable this week to make inquiries as to the amount ol gold' procured by the different parties ; but the general report is extremely good — every one acquainted with the place stating that it is the richest beach ever opened on the West Coast. From the Five-mile to Gillespie's (some seventeen miles) there are a few parties working here and there, the entire way : and I know some that are making moderate wages — £5 or £6 a man per week. The crossing of that dangerous river, the Waiho, one mile south of the Fivemile, is now rendered safe, two enterprising men having purchased horses and established a regular horse-ferry. They charged at first the enormous sum of five shillings for each passenger ; but opposition being started, the fare is now two-and-sixpence. At the Lake, mining affairs continue very dull indeed : a great many parties have left lately. Until a track is cut through the hush for packhorses, this place will never be of much account. The inhabitants of Okerita have subscribed a considerable amount already, for the purpose of cutting a track, and intend to subscribe more, as I believe the Government have resolved to bear part of the expense. Mr Albert Hunt went up to Okarita in the middle of the week from Bruce Bay ; and it began to be whispered on Thursday that he was about applying for a prospecting claim. There was great excitement at once amongst the minera. It soon leaked out that Hunt had told some acquaintances he was about applying for a prospecting claim down south. Immediately, and even before the prospecting claim was applied for, the whole^ beach was lined with men going south. 1 have seldom seen such a rush in New Zealand, except perhaps that of the Dunstan. The conjectures as to the whereabouts of the new rush were set at rest on Friday, f ,by the granting of a prospecting claim to Mr Hunt and party seven miles south of Bruce Bay, and nine miles inland — prospects from four to six grains to the dish, with a couple of feet of washdirt. When the exact locale was known, dozens of business men started on horseback, to take up frontages at Bruce Bay, each horse being put to its utmost speed. Seeing ■so many going, " } r our own '' thought he might as well have a finger in the pic, so off he started with the rest, and arrived late this (Sunday) evening at BRUCE JSAY. This hitherto quiet place is now full of excited miners. The beach is covered with tents, and there cannot be less than from 1500 to 2000 men camped, all awaiting the arrival of Mr Hunt, who is to come to-night, and show the golden ground tomorrow. Everyone is busy ..preparing bread lor to-morrow's journey. There are hundreds of miners still on the road, and as I now write they continue to conic in by dozens. All the good business sites are taken up by storekeepers from Okarita and Five-Mile. Some miners 1 kno»vhave received £30 for removing their tents. There was only one store here before this rush, and it is the only one now, as there has not bocn time to put up others. There were several tons of flour in the store this morning, besides large quantities of tea, sugar, &c, but this evening there is nonothing whatever within the walls, except oue bag of rice ; the entire stock, and it a very large one, has been all sold :n a few hours at a very moderate price onty Gd per lb for flour. This stove was formerly owned by the late Mr Schunckow, who was drowned a short time since. The greatest amusement was caused on the way down the beach at the different rivers, some of the miners being in such a hurry that they would not wait for the boat, but dashed hi headlong through the rivers. At the second river north of Bruce Bay. a Maori ferried over several hundreds in a canoe. Owing to several parties rushing the canoe, it upset several times, and all hands and swags were immersed in the water, amidst roars of laughter from the bystanders, several hundreds of whom were waiting on the bank. The tide going out, however, allowed a great many to ford the river. The general opinion of the miners is, that Hunt got better prospects than he stated, but that , he did not wish to cause too great a rush. 1 do not pretend to know, but will let you have the news from the rush as soon as possible.