BOUND FOR KIMBERLEY.

Press, Volume XLIII, Issue 6546, 15 September 1886, Page 3

BOUND FOR KIMBERLEY.

THE LANDING AT DEEBf.

STAETING 10E THE FIELD.

[ £I_OX OUB SFXC——. COBB—BPOND—ST.] DERBY, August S. The last of the,horses were transhipped from the Triumph to the Dickey on the evening of Wednesday, June 28th. Several ef them had been on board for nearly four weeks, yet they arrived on shore as lively as kittens, and were all landed on the wharf without acaident. It took the Dickey four trips to take all the horseß. Three loads were landed on the wharf, but one was landed in the mud, to the great amusement of the spectators and indignation of the owners. The first thing the horses did waa to enjoy arolLl think their joy at reaching earth—l was going to say terra firms, but D_-by mud could hardly be styled that—was as great as that of their owners. From tbe wharf to tbe firßfc well ib a mile and a half of a mnd fist, which is fairly passable now, bnt in the wet tee-on is barely navigable by bullock waggons. All round the well w—i a mass of tents, with horses picketted round about. A few of the men camped down on the mud near the wharf, but had to shift in a few days owing to tbe spring tides. It was a _ —mendons job getting one's goods together. Tbe cargo was brought ashore in lighters and discharged on the wharf. The Cu-.toms was a farce in many cases, and the duties were evaded in every way. Goods were stolen by tho ton, aad I only heard of one party that had got all their goods without loes or damage. Ths scene down at the jetty for the next few days after landing was very lively. The owners of wheelless drays were to ba seen trying to find a pair o* wheel b, when probably one wheel was discharged from one lighter and the other still on board another. Drays were loaded up, and soft horses fresh from the ship declined to poll them. Then commenced the usual scene; everybody suggested a method of making a bone pull more than he was able, and the end was they had to unload. By Monday, August 2nd, a -urge number of the .Triumph's passengers had started for the field, some of them very muoh overloaded { the general opinion is tbat Bcwt per horse is quite enough. One party have started a store in Derby, and are doing very weU. Blacksmiths find nothing to do here, but carpenters are in better demand, though the supply is quite equal to the present demand. Some of the New Zealand horses have changed hands at high prices. An American waggon and a pair of horses was sold to the Warden for 2210; ahorse was sold to the same purchaser for £ 80. Horses like the New Zealand ones are worth ABO to _70. Mr Price, tbe Warden, leaves in a few. days for the field—his waggons start to-morrow. Dr. Langion goes in attendance'on, the party. -. The cook is also,» passenger by the Tiiumph. Mr Price is a strong supporter of Cambridge Gulf, and he informs mc that the first-—rays from Cambridge Gulf have readaed tbe field in twenty days, and have found a good dray road; if tbat be so, it's evident very " Tnat Derby's done." One hears fresh reports from tbe field nearly every day. Two parties have been down during the last week. They say very little, nut buy stores and return at once.

By the end of the week every oae of the Triumph's party that is going to the field wiU be gone. A large number of men have secured freight for their provisions on the drays, and are themselves taking barrows with their swags and food for the road. Many of them have started with lSOlbs on their barrows.'

Those who have returned from the field report a large number of dead horses on the road. The Darling pea is very plentiful for the first sixty miles, after that you are pretty tale. Men and horses are arriving from Perth and elsewhere every few days. The Albany is now at the wharf, but it will be a long time before Darby has such a lively week as she did after the arrival of the Triumph. We leave for the field to-morrow, and shall be nearly the last ot the long line of drays which has been leaving for the last fewdays. We shall not retora for nearly three months, under the most favorable circumstances. If I am able to send 'reliable information through from there I will do so.