Story Told by a Returned Wellington Digger.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 206, 2 September 1886, Page 4

Story Told by a Returned Wellington Digger.

The Field a Duffar,

(BY TEtEORAPII — OW.N CORRESPONDENT.)

Wellikcton, this 'lay. AMON-0.-.T the paeeengers by the Wakatipu, which arrived iiere from Sydney to-day,

wero several returned diggers from Kimber

ley. Included in the number is a man

named Hunter, who has given me an interesting account of his travels since he left Wellington about four months ago. He Btates that after spending a little time in Sydney he pickod up two experienced West Coaet diggers, and proceeded i:; their company to Cambridge Gulf, where they inquired for a man nainerl McDonald, who, it was said, could ahow them tho place where gold waa being obtained. McDonald wa* found, and a party of 200 placed theineelvea under his guidance, and eturtod off for the interior. After they had got a coneiderable distance, McDonald started back to bring on another lot of diggers. During hia absence, somo of tne original party lost the road in attempting to reach the field, and when McDonald returned he was obliged to go in search of the missing men, whom he found after some little trouble and a delay of about two daya. Kimberley was reached in five weeks' time. During tho time he was on the field, about throe weeks, he never sow more than forty men at one time, and only one claim oO feet by 00 feet. Some of the men in whose company he made the journey got a little gold by surface scratching, but the majority were not 10 successful. He states that the country is hilly, slaty, and barren. After leaviutr the field he went to Derby, five weeks being occupied in doing the distance. Hβ describes the track from Cambridge Gulf and that from Derby to be liat and wellwatered. He assures me that on all sides tha tield is pronounced a " duffer, ' and he expresses himself pleased at having got away from it so aoon.