SWITZERS.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 361, 29 March 1871, Page 6

SWITZERS.

("sY.">m Our Own Correspondent.) j The miner mentioned in my last as having j attempted suicide died on tlio 11th inst. j From 'papers found in his possession it appears his name was Samuel Walker, a recent arrival from Victoria. lie had Leon work ing for a short time at the Waikaka, and, from remarks made by persons who kne-vr him there, it appears that for some time b.vck Lis whole behaviour indicated a strange degree of indecision, making it evident that be meditate I some intintion which he luaitiifil to carry into effect. About the time of the races here he indulged in a heavy fit of ; drinking, and,. while unler the influence of j delirium tremens, committed the act which has terminated his existence. Mining matters are very dull in and about many of the claims, which, if not rich, have hitherto yielded a fair living, being now ex- ; liausted, and numbers have removed, and j many preparing to move, to try thtfir luck in j other fi-.'lds. One claim, a very ;famous one J — famous for tho Htigous spirit which the j various holders have always exhibited one J toward the other — has come to grief. I refer ] to the '• Break-All" claim, formerly owned j by Mr W. Acton. Under the new proprietorship this claim is owned by four shareholders, and for the last vine months lias been worked on tribute by a number of from 12 to 10 men, paying a tribute of 25 per cent, on all g 'Id, after deducting expenses and 40s each tributer. The result of their labors, notvithstanlin^ 10-st time and the extraordinary j difficulties to be ovwreome owing to the lowlying position of the claim, have, o:i the wliole, been satisfactory, keeping in view ih-i 8 tan Jan. 1 v. age of the Switzjrs gnlclfield. A few of their weekly wa:.hinga shew 33, 43, I and 6-1 ozs. A great pity it is that a want oT unanimity anrmg the Avhyld — and, ilmaybe. a wish to overreach by some — slmu'd ca.»so such disagreeable results ; but fact it is, that , this same want of conHdence and nnanin'.ii}* in working has, aided by the natural defeo-s of the ground, made a total wreck of th.? claim. There 13 a mystory in all t .is — a j mystery which for so;ne time yet must renn-in j enveloped in shade. There is quite a hia'ovy in connection with this claim — a liis ory J which may ye>' bo destined to illiiMtrat - the I annals of the neighborhood. There are conflicting interests, and something like the j fable of the "'Fox and the Grabs''; tli g ; j who can't have it, say it is no good, and some ] who have i[, and should no., have it, say they j will stick to it through thick and thin. There i are times in life when every man feels as it' j his sympathies were extinct. This ari:,ea from various causes, but the most c-'innion cause is the consciousness of having com- j mitted wrong, when the feelings recoil ia- j ward, and — by some curious mystery in the nature of our selfishness — instead of promoting atonement, initiate ns to repeat and persevere in our injustice.