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THE PALMER DIGGINGS.

Referring to tbe newly discovered goldfield, whence come vague but fascinating rumora of untold treasure?, tlic Hokitikia Piegister writes as follows:

It is with a view to briqg the picture nearer to the excited spectator that we propo.se to detail a few facts we have gleaned respecting these tropical gold-Holds. In the- wordy of a late Queensland paper \vc have before us, "it is the newest of all newcountries, and its dangers arc many and grave ones." It is so new. indeed, that none of the places or rivers named in the accounts we have been reading are hud down in our map, the dato of which is so late as 1873. In this map the region of the Endeavour River and Palme.' goldfield appears as a blank space. intersected only by a dolled line, which indicates Kennedy's (tho explorer) track. The gateway of these goldGelds—which is tho mouth of the Endeavour River—is situated in latitude 15 (leg. 27 coin. 30 see.--, youth and in longtiludc 113 East. The landing-place is CookstoW

which is placed about three-quarters of a milo from tho mouth of the river, and the mum diggings aro quite 210 miles inland, tho road being very bad and requiting a deal of monoy to be «pcnt upon it before drays can travel over it. Tho Commissioner's cam]) is located at Haoii'a Camp, forty miles from the diggings, and it will be years before tho road between these points will be practicable for drays. The weather, wo are told, is very hot and sultry, both day and night, especially from twelve to four, when it is intense. There is, of course, a periodical rainy "season" which is now, probably, in full vigour, and with these concurrent causes we may bo sure that tho characteristic aud consequential diseases of fever audague will dcvelopo themselves in full force. Provisions are very scarce and frightfully dear, according to our latest advices of the 13th and 21st of February, and the rivers are flooded and impassable. The prices quoted in tho Brisbane papers we are extracting these details from are—Carriage, £SO per ton ; flour, 5s per pound ; beef 9d ; salt 3s; rice, 3s ; potatoes, 2s Gd; soap 2s ; tobacco, 10s ; brown sugar, 2s ; and boots, 30s per pair. Mount Taylor is tho name" of tho digging township, and it is to this place, thirty-five miles from the gold-field, that the miners have to Co for beef. But there are other dangers than heat, disease, and scarcity of provisions to contend with, in the shape of fierce and barbarous natives. They ni'fl rlfiseribnd as " numerous and hoa-

are uescriDCU as numerous ana Hostile, several men having been speared, and on one occasion they ppeared some horses and roasted one, after taking off the shoes to make tomahawks with. They can throw a spear wifch accuracy eighty yards, and these spears are made of reeds and pointed with a. wood much like myall; some of thcin are barbed and carry poison." These, then, are the drawbacks to the-ncw goldfields as painted by those whose interest it is to bring adventurers thither, and, therefore, cannot be suspected of exaggeration. And our readers will ask if the reward is proportionate to the risk, and if it be, all that we can say will not sufnee to restrain them from trying their fortunes. This, however, is what " our own correspondent " writes: — " I have no doubt there will be a rush hero after the rain and after the escort goes down, but if miners rush here they will find much disappointment; all the [.daces found are now well run over and are already, in some places, pretty well worked out, though this creek will stand working for a long time. There are quite enough people here to do that, and new hands will have to go and prospect for themselves. There is a wide field for prospecting and a very extensive tract of auriferous country. The North Queensland diggings arc shallow ; the country soon gets run over and the best places soon found. If men used to different kinds of workings rush here, they are just as likely to rush away from the place again, A great many here now are not doing much good, and for every one who gets ounces there arc two that don't exceed pennyweight"!. Yet (here is a little blowing clone, and no doubt great accounts and exaggerated accounts will go down, and be the cause of fetching men foolish!} 7 here." Such being the undoubted facts of the case, we may well ask our mining readers—some of whom we here, contemplate a start for the new " Port Curtis"—to pause and consider whether it is not safer to wait for the reaction from the present daluoss, which must and will inevitably follow a largo expenditure on Government works.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18740310.2.11

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1157, 10 March 1874, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
808

THE PALMER DIGGINGS. Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1157, 10 March 1874, Page 2

THE PALMER DIGGINGS. Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1157, 10 March 1874, Page 2

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