THE AFRICAN GOLDFIELDS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 475, 9 March 1869, Page 2

THE AFRICAN GOLDFIELDS.

The brig Sea Nymph has arrived at II Melbourne from Natal. As shell arrived, the barque Nightingale wasß just on the eve of sailing, her decksß well filled with diggers, going to giveß the new African gold-fields a trial, andß on some of whom the news by the I Sea Nymph operated rather seriously, I for it undoubtedly shows that in these B colonies they would have a muclH better chance than in those Africanß fields, the right to which now appears B to be in dispute between two rivalß chiefs, one of whom, at least, will notß tolerate the presesce of white menßA digger who arrived by the Saiß Nymph warns miners against leavingß for those African fields. He says hisß own experience was unfavorable. Heß had seen Mr Black, the leader of onefl of the prospecting parties, who said heß should not return to the diggings onfl any account. He and a party ofß thirteen men had been there for siiß months, and only got one half-ounce oifl gold. He had fever twice, and wasß glad to get back alive within the seiJß tlements. Stories were told in Natalßof washdirt being stacked, but tWB: was unlikely, as the rainy season then on. He encloses an, extraclß from the Natal Mercury, which writesß unfavorably saying :—" Writing noflßin the middle of December, and manßc months after the news of the' dazzlingß:, richness of the Tatin gold-fields firsWß.. reached Natal from the interior, have to say that as yet gold has noB | been obtained in quantities sufficienßsS to pay for the labor expended. It baBE; been dug in the Tatin, in the interiorHj° ; and at the Umtwaluinie and A'ttJ Tugela in Natal under promising circumstances, "What tbßjt future may develop we know not, bdH|i hope for the best. Of one thing are certain—we are neither preparedßf for an indiscriminate rush of gold-digßp gers to our shores, nor has anythingßg as yet been proved to warrant such >S rush. If men choose to come knowing these things, and desirous c'B ascertaining what is the true value the recent gold discoveries—they be welcome, and we shall all them God speed, and assist them : B the utmost of our power; but if thejß| come misled by romantic about the ancient Ophir—by cies, after the fact, of scientific me'B greedy of notoriety—by false and eiß aggerated newspaper reports, wo only pity their Ul-fortune," H

A digger who left Hokitika for Natal has written to his brother there a letter, which appears in the Daily News. He says:— "I arrived at Natal on the 12th December. To my great disgust we found (I say ' we,' for I am along with six) that all we had heard of the diggings had been almost all direct falsehoods. The diggings have been opened twelve months, and up to the present time there has only been three ounces of gold got. This was got by 14 men in seven weeks. We went to a large merchant here, who has to a large extent caused so many lies to be circulated about the quantities of gold per ton. He showed us some quartz, from which he said he could get sixty ounces to the ton. I am sure it would not 'go a pennyweight to the dishful. Of the most likely-looking stone, there was not the color in it; neither has a speck been seen by anybody. So when people will do that, they are capable of 'doing anything. A great many people here think that the two specimens of gold sent Home came from Australia. At any rate no one can find anything like what M spoke about. The cost of going to the diggings will be at least £4O a man. A company has been formed in England, which is expected here in two days. There are no provisions to be got for the last 400 miles of the journey, so it's an impossibility to go without a waggon and bullocks and provisions for a few months. The Mauritius is a d unhealthy place. Of six of us three got the fever. I escaped it by chance. Whatever you do don't come here till you hear from me some better accounts. Some old Otago diggers have arrived here from Home. The

people of Durham, that is the township of Port Natal, won't bestir themselves at all to assist the diggers to go up to the diggings. The Kaffirs are nothing more nor less than niggers. Their lips are not so thick as some of them, but their heads equally so, and as woolly. They work for 12s a month and two meals of sweet potatoes a day —in fact, they work for nothing, you might say. As for living being cheap, you can live as cheaply in Hokitika. Certainly some fruit is very cheap. You can buy thirty peaches or thirty melons for three-pence. I shall write again before I start up the country—that is, supposing I can get up."

SCHAPEE, THE TEAVELLEE

It has already been reported that Schafer, the German traveller, who recently visited this town, and afterwards got into trouble among the Maoris in Auckland, had made another attempt to commit suicide in Melbourne. It is said that on his return from his excursion in New Zealand he was in a very pitiable condition, and, after sleeping out one or two nights, was afforded shelter by Mr Mueller, of the Argus Hotel, who compassionated his situation. Since that time he has continued to live with his charitable countryman, but although treated with the utmost kindness, he was always lowspirited about his reverses. On the morning of the 11th ult., just after he had been called for breakfast, the report of a firearm was heard in his room, and it was found that he had shot himself with a small pistol, just above the left breast His shirt was on fire, the flesh was burned and blackened with gunpowder, and he had every appearance of having inflicted upon himself considerable injury. He was removed to the hospital, where it was discovered that no ball had been lodged in the wound, and, as a consequence, the unfortunate little great man was handed over to the police, for attempting to commit suicide. Schafer was able to walk into court; but as he appeared to be very ill, and persisted that the pistol was loaded with ball, the magistrates remanded him for medical examination. Then he was brought up as a lunatic, and afterwards charged with vagrancy. As already stated, he was sent to gaol, having failed to secure bail.

GENERAL CHUTE'S VISIT TO THE COLONY. The history of General Chute's late visit appears to be this. The Governor some time asjo invited Sir Trevor to Wellington, to consult with Tiimself and the Commodore in reference to the desirability of utilising the the Imperial troops in connection with the rebellion. This visit the General refused to make, as by so doing he laid himself open to the charge of interfering in matters that did not concern him, inasmuch as the Government persistently adhered to the selfreliant policy in its integrity. No doubt the General was mixch influenced in coming to this decision by the experience he had already acquired of diplomacy in New Zealand during Governor Grey's time. A burnt child dreads the fire, and General Chute had little inclination to get into hot water with a New Zealand Government or Ministry again. Still, as he is every inch a soldier, to be inactive in Melbourne when his countrymen were sore pushed in New Zealand, went against his grain ; and while he would not come to New Zealand at the risk of being accused of wishing to interfere with Ministers' policy, he did so by making his inspection of the troops earlier than usual. In effect the General said—"Here I am. I am anxious to help you if I can. If you want my services and those of the troops under my command, you can have them by making the necessary application. If you do not want them, *Sere is ao harm done. It is a matter

that concerns you, not me, and I can return to my head-quarters at Melbourne again." As the Ministry did not think it wise to avail themselves of the General's services, they did not ask for them; so confining himself strictly to his special duty of inspecting the 18th, he even refrained from visiting Colonel "Wbitmore's camp, remaining at Wanganui while the Commodore and others went there, and took hiß departure for Melbourne a few hours after his return to Wellington. He left more in sorrow than in anger, and instead of ordering the two companies of the 18th now at Wanganui to concentrate at Auckland, he gave directions for the Himalaya to come on to Wellington (contrary to the plan originally intended), picking up the companies at Napier on her way. By this alteration of arrangement the troops at Napier and Wanganui are enabled to remain at their posts to the last possible moment. In about two months, therefore, there will not be a red coat on the island, and we shall be fairly afloat, or rather adrift, on the ocean of self-reliance. Possibly the budget of disaster which left here by the December mail may induce the Home Government—despite the memoranda which the Ministry have written—to retain the 18th a little while longer.

PEOPHECIES EOE 1869

The infallible foreteller of the times to come, the famous Zadkiel, says the Pall Mall Gazette, has looked into next year, and gives us a depressing account of our prospects. Saturn is very hard on Spain and Hungary through nearly all the year. In May " Mars is still in Leo, afflicting Rome, and in some degree France also, while Saturn, retrograde in Sagittarius, afflicts Spain with many troubles." Royalty is impartially singled out for misfortune all over Europe. In February Abdul-Aziz "has a bad transit;" and the Emperor of Austria " suffers from violence." In May the King of Hanover has "the moon, joined with Saturn, at his birthday;" a very bad sign. Two months later the King of Prussia is to "meet trouble by the death of a female," the King of Italy being at the same time threatened with Saturn, and doubts being expressed whether the Pope will live to the end of the yeay. Even our own royal family does not escape. Zadkiel observes that "the Prince" (apparently the Prince of Wales) has M.C. sruare Saturn zod. con.=27deg. 50 min. and Sun square Mars zod. con.= 27 deg. 54min. These are very serious, and I judge very serious consequences, which I do not feel at liberty to explain more fully. If astrology were believed in, as I believe in it, these consequences might be avoided," so that perhaps much depends on the circulation of the almanac this year. Again on the 9th of November "the opposition of Jupiter to the Sun, at the birthday of a well-beloved prince, will affect the state of his blood, which becomes inflamed and too abundant." Almost the only gleam of good fortune allowed is that " Jupiter, in trine to the place of her moon at birth, will confer strength and health on the Princess of Wales about March 21. A conjunction of planets in June ensures trouble in London and elsewhere, and " may produce shocks of earthquake." Moreover, it seems to denote a " fall from power of the ministry in this country." In November, besides misfortunes to the royal princes, the " roughs" of London " will give trouble, and very numerous and serious fires will tell hard upon the insurance offices." On March 11 the moon seems "rather afflicted," and this points to "many troubles and mighty changes among the ministry, which will go nigh to be cast out of power, chiefly through the intrigues of female foes." All this is enough to make nervous people quake in their shoes.

AMERICAN JOURNALISM. Doolittle, a Southern editor, held his post for six months, and in that time was stahbed twice, shot three times, belabored with a bludgeon once, thrown into a pond once, but was never kicked. During his six months' experience he killed two of his adversaries. All these are absolute facts. As a set-off, the " local" of the 'Kemphis Bulletin,' jestingly sums up his year's experience as follows:

Times. Been asked to drink ... .. 11,313 Drank .. 11,312 Eequested to retract ... 416 Didn't retract 416 Invited to parties, receptions, presentations, &c, parties finishing forpuff8 .. 3,333 Took the hint 33 Didn't take the hint ... .. 3,300 Threatened to be whipped 174 Been whipped 0 Didn't come to time ... 170 Been promised bottles of chainpagne, whiskey, brandy, gin, bitters, &c, if I would go after them ... 3,650 Been after them , 0 Going again 0 Been asked, " What's the news ?" 300,000 Told 13 Didn't know 200,000 Lied about it 90,287 Been to church 2 Changed politics 32 Expected to thange still 33 Gave for charity ... $500 Oave for a terrier dog ... ... 2300 Cash on hand , 0