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West Coast Times, Issue 188, 26 April 1866, Page 3

crushed fine by hand and recradled, and I as a proof of the richness of the cement, the latter process generally, yields as much gold as the first cradling. But a great quantity of gold must be lost in the small pieces of cement that pass away in the tailings, which would pay handsomely for Byßtema,tie crushing in a proper machine, andlpropfiefy that he whofirst introduces one will reap a golden harvest by its aid. In fact many of the diggers complained sadly of the enormous per centage of gold lost, and declared that were there a crushing machine on the ground it would, where the lead was cementy, entirely supersede the cradle and sluice box, and as the district abounds in cement much 6f it now reject 3d as worthless might be profitably worked were a cheap and efficient method of crushing it introduced. On the second Cement Hill Russell and party are the only men at work, the rest of the ground being exhausted and deserted. They informed me that their claim was paying well, as bcth the leads ran through it, the blank ground between them having conaiderawy decreased in width. With them the cradle is kept constantly going, and each day's washing usually amounts to between 8 ozs. and 9 ozs. The wash dirt is of the same description as that on the other hill, consisting almost entirely of sandstone and granite gravel, resting on a main bottom of sandstone,which is reached at a depth of between 40 and 50 feet. On this hill there is a cluster of stores, not' worthy the name of & township. Proceeding alorig the course of the lead another narrow but deeper gully is crossed, and then a Very narrow spur is surmounted.lndeed this is nothing more than a mere ridge of no great height, and in it the lead Mas found very poor. Nearly the whole of it is exhausted, as I only saw one party at work. In this ridge is seen for the first time one of the distinctive and peculiar features of the deep lead, which affords silent but impressive testimony that the gullies are (comparatively) of recent formation, and that when they were at a higher level than the present one, the lead must have run through them, fo.r it was found on^ the main bottom, cropping through the side of the ridge twenty feet above the small rivulet which runs through the gully. The other side of the ridge shews the same formation, only as the gully therfc Is deeper, the outcrop is at a greater height above it. S So far that part of the lead I have attemp- ' ted to describe may be termed old, as it was opened months ago, and has been in work ever since, but on the south side of the narrow ridge the gold was lost, and although the next gully was well prospected both up and down, nothing payoble could be found. It seems strange that the idea of sinking on the summit of the next ridge was not entertained until very recently, when a party of Germans put a shaft dowii, bottomed it at 63 feet, and upon driving a few yards to the westward struck the lead again, which resulted in the new rush at present causing such excitement among the miners. On this spur which is very appropriately called German Hill, there are some six or eight claims, all of them on gold. I had a long chat with one of the Germans, and on stating my mission, he very kindly gave me the above information, furthermore adding ihat their claim would pay well, although it had not received a fair trial. They had however washed half an ounce out of - eight buckets of dirt, and were then engaged fencing in the ground. In breaking up the washdirt — a brown sandstone and granite wash, from six inches to two feet thick—gold is plainly perceptible throughout although it lies somewhat patchy in places. On either side of German Hill the gold is in two distinct . runs, which merge into one in the centre. This is proved by the fact that although the lead is not divided, the two qualities of gold are found on each side of it— that to the east being fine and cementy, whilst on the west side, coarser gold in a different washdirt is found. The claims on the hill vary in depth, the next one to the German£' being 63 feet, whilst Hastings and party,- further ahead, bottomed their shaft at 71£ feet. They have not washed any dirt yet, but believe the claim will pay good wages. On the south side of the hill, overlooking the next gully, Wolf and party sunk 73 feet before the reqf was reached, and were rewarded with two feet of washdirt, that will yield them good wages. Descending into the next gully, which is a very narrow one, M'Deviott and party are met with, tunnelling into the face of The range, and have struck the lead a few yards inside. They said it was not very rich, but would pay them moderate wages. As a rule, the "south side of these spurs do not pay so well as where the lead enters them on the north. Nearly abreast of this party on the opposite spur, but working on a lower level, Webb and his mates are also tunnelling, and working an- excellent claim, which however is nearly finished. The lead with them is from ten to twenty feet wide, and the washdirt from a few inches to two feet thick. I washed a pan of dirt taken out of the heap they were then sluicing from, which gave a prospect of 18 grs. • There was certainly not more than a good shovelful of dirt, so that this may be considered an excellent return. The gold they are getting is fine, but adjoining, another party is working on the west lead, in which, as on the Cement Hill, the gold is much coarser. The average weekly return from Webb's claim is something considerable, but I am not permitted to make it known. This is a very narrow ridge, but very little wider than the length of a four-men's claim (120 ft.), but on crossing it an extensive gully is arrived at, which has been much worked, and in its day paid pretty well. There are still a few parties paddocking, but the chief portions of the workings are old and deserted. The celebrated Ballarat Hill forms part of ita southern boundary, and if all is true that folks assert, it must be rich indeed. The lead enters this hill about thirty feet above the level of the gully, and runs right through to the other side. The party which secured the out- , crop are of course tunnelling, but all up the side of the range there are shafts in full work at- different depths according to their position. Two leads are being traced into the hill, although that to the west is not well defined, and lies upon a false bottom, and so far has only been found on the face of the range some fifty or sixty yards from the main run. It is being tun nelled out, and is paying each man about .£1 por day. What those parties are getting who are working the main lead I could not ascertain, as a strict silence on this subject was preserved. On gaining the top of the hill (to climb which three times a day would prove of infinite service to the dyspeptically-inclined) I arrived at the Ballarat/ Shaft,

which is 105 feet deep, slabbed and centred from top to bottom. I had been given to understand that this was an exceedingly richj claim, as much as 18oz. to the load having been washed out of the dirt extracted ; but on making enquiries— albeit with the utmost circumspection— l was decidedly snubbed, tho only information vouchsafed being that there was eighteen inches of washdirt,' that would pay good wages. I am, liowever, sure, that this is really a rich claim, and will remunerate most handsomely tile fortunate fellows who hold shares in it. This was <h"e only shaft bottomed on the hill top at the time of my visit, although several were down seventy feet, and, as the ground is quite dry and will stand without slabbing, I have no doubt but by this time some of them have found the reef. On the soutu face of Ballarat Hill, which descends at an angle of 30 degrees, the outcrop has again been fottnd by M'Master and his mates, who have driven in three tunnels a considerable distance. Another party is also at work alongside them, and both are getting payable gold, although not very rich. Before leaving Ballarat Hill, I may state that it is of some extent, and contains about six claims 120 feet by 120 feet each. Between this and the next range runs that which, I believe, is the real Hau Hau creeky and that it is so those who were located there insisted upon. Next to the Three Mile, it is % the largest I met with, and winds ita way through an extensive flat which has been considerably worked but never paid high wages. From where the line of the deep lead crosses it, gold has been discovered a considerable distance upwards, but inyariably found in patches that were neither extensive noi 1 rich. The Hau Hau creek is at about the saraele\el as the Three Mile, but all the intervening watercourses are much higher. Before joining the Three MiJ^it crosses the line of those spurs I have already mentioned, and receives as tributaries the creeks which separate them. Thus the Three Mile has an extensive watershed to tho southward, and is fed by creeks which run through a country abounding in gold. It is, therefore, only reasonable to imagine that the flat through which it runs may yet be found, below the junction, to contain heavy deposits of the precious metal. The flat between the Ballarat Spur and All Nations Hill makes the greatest break hitherto found in the deep lead, and it was some time ere the outcrop was again struck on the hill side. After much steady prospecting, however, Rex and party hit upon the right spot, and commenced tun- | nelling. At first the gold was poor and meagre looking, but as they proceeded into hill, it improved vastly both in quality and quantity, and now they are on ground whtch will yield them very fair returns, with almost a certainty of better in store, for the lead increases both in width and richness the farther it is followed. I inspected their tunnel, and found that where they were working the run was about fifteen feet wide one side — the east — yielding fine gold— the other, coarse. It therefore seems evident that the two runs have united in this claim. No sooner was it known that Rex had struck the lead than the hill was rushed to the summit, and several shafts sunk, of which two were bottomed at over eighty feet but gave no prospect, and it was not until the All Nations shaft was sunk that the continuation of the lead was proved. That party, however, marked by compass the course of the run iv Rex's tunnel, and sunk on spec, fortunately striking it again. Between their shaft and the tunnel there is room for about four or five claims, whilst beyond it there is an extent of country through which the lead may yet be traced for miles. As nearly as my hurried inspection would permit me I have given a description of the Hau Hau goldfield, which I unhesitatingly pronounce to be one of the most important on the West Coast. Taken in conjunction with the Kanieri, the two comprise a district not to be equalled by any other in Westland, for they promise to give permanent employment to a large population fo#»years. That they are rich in alluvial deposits has been incontestably proved; and no experienced miner can travel over the Hau Hau district, and view its peculiar conformation, but must feel convinced that in the high coast range, from which proceed those golden spurs, the matrix will yet be found. Yet tliere cannot be any doubt of the existence of quartz reefs impregnated with gold in that region, and that many an outcrop would ere this have been stumbled upon, were it not for the layer of decayed vegetation which hides it. The day, however, will yet come that shall see the quartz reefs of Westland equally celebrated for their productiveness as the richest of its alluvial workings; besides possessing a permanency which, unfortunately, the latter do not. Within cannon-shot of the metropolis of Westland is this most important district situated, and yet it is almost a " terra incognita," through the impassability of its approaches. It has been scandalously neglected; and I have every reason to believe has never been officially examined or reported on by either warden or surveyor. Comprised within its bounds are numerous streams, flats, and hills, waiting for the enterprise of the prospector to reveal their hidden treasures ; and there is no doubt would soon be ransacked were they only rendered a little more come-at-able. No time should be lost in forming a good corduroyed road from Ilokitikn, up Gibson's Quay, along the eastern town 1 oundary, and then across the v large paddock" and the strip of bush separating it from the smaller one, through one corner of which runs the lend. Here is aurelv the site of the Hau Hau township, although there will be a rival community on the Three Mile Creek, who, however, could receive their supplies via the new route instead of being compelled to use for that purpose the seven miles of dreadful road up the creek from the sea beach. A track could easily be constructed between r the two towns, and diggers thus assured of a cheap and plentiful supply of the necessaries of life, would not hesitate to push their researches further inland, and search the coast range for quartz reefs. In all probability, as likely looking country exists on the other side of the range, although I have never but once or twice known both sides of a range to pay. That one, liowever, may be an exception, and is certainly worth testing. Since writing the foregoing, I have received a communication from Mr Stebbing, a miner on the Three Mile creek, in which he corrects my statement that the discovery of gold in that creek was kept secret. He states that iv the month of March, 1865, gold was struck there by his party,

and a prospecting claim applied for, and granted by Mr llevell ; and a considerable rush was the result. Such an assertion is not to be doubted, although I was informed to the contrary , but as the event took place in what may be termed the "dark ages" of Westland, my mis-state-ment may be very well excused.