THE SUTHERLAND DIGGINGS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 500, 6 May 1869, Page 3

THE SUTHERLAND DIGGINGS.

Not only did the London Times send a special correspondent to the latelydiscovered diggings in Sutherlandshire but the Inverness and Caithness papers have now their columns regularly occupied with mining reports from correspondents on the spot. From all parts, by land and sea, adventurers, male and female—usually very verdant diggers—were visiting the Kildonan and other " burns" or creeks in which gold had been found, but the winter weather of January and February was thinning their numbers, and few were making more than the most trifling wages. People still continued to " scratch" the bed and bauks of the river, but arrangements ■were being made with the Crown by which the Duke of Sutherland might allow the terraces to be tested. The John 0' Groat Journal of February 28th reports:— In our last we mentioned that the rush to Kildonan Burn was subsiding, the auriferous portions of the banks having been nearly exhausted, and many parties going home quite disappointed. It was also noticed that gold in small quantity bad been found on the banks of a tributary of the river Brora. This week the diggers have mostly gone to the Seisgill burn, about four miles above the Kildonan burn in the same strath. There the particles of gold are generally rounder and larger than they were in the Kildonan burn, where the gold was generally found in small thin flakes. The gold of the Seisgill burn is described occurring in particles varying in size from that of a pin's head to that of a pea, and some small nuggets have been got weighing from two pennyweights to a quarter of a ounce. There are flying rumours almost every day of fabulous nuggets being found, one especially which is said to be as big as a hen's egg, to weigh 41bs., and to be worth £2OO. These stories are only received by the credulous. The average number of diggers during the past week has been about 100 per day. Green hands are generally unsuccessful, but old hands, first-class workers, have been making from 4s to 10s, and even as high as 15s some days. A number of parties have come to Helmsdale, to buy the gold from the diggers, who receive readily £4 per ounce for the proceeds of their work. 'Gold bought here' is already to be seen in blazing capitals in several of the shop-windows. Few of the diggers are inclined to sell under £4 an ounce, and small nuggets which hring fancy prices are much in demand.

A party of returned Californian and Australian diggers have been busy 'prospecting' in tbe immediate neighborhood of Helmsdale for some days lack. On the banks of the river immediately above and below tbe bridge there have been scores of people at work opening the rock and washing out the clay and gravel from the fissures. All these have found the usual golden particles, but in very small quantities. A few specks have been found among the rocks skirting tbe shore to the east of Helmsdale. It is thus ascertained that tbe whole course of the river is more or less auriferous, at least below the two tributaries, the Kildonan and Seisgill burns, in whicb the gold is found in tbe greatest abundance. Bands of diggers continue to arrive at and return from the diggings. During the past few days tbey have been principally parties from tbe Eeay district and from Caithness, wbo Oake their way across the hills, when tbe public road does not lie in the shortest direction. Last Saturday night the streets of Helmsdale presented a very animated appearance from the number of diggers who came to dispose of their week's earnings.