A TRIP TO CARDRONA.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 28, 25 May 1870, Page 5

A TRIP TO CARDRONA.

—o—- • ' ' ; (OoMmuhicdted.) si H[i Some time having elapsed since any report has been made of the district boyond Bendigo Gully—comprising the sluicingclaims on the banks of the Ohith'a, at Poison Greek, Luggato Creek, and the Cardrona.district, —l lately availed myself of an opportunity of making a tour in that direction, and will ondeavor to relate a " plain, unvarnished tale" of the resources and capabilities of the district as they came under my observation. ;«./ _ To speak first of the road: it was a short time ago in very bad condition, and very heavy from the late rains;bburt r Mr 1, Loughnan having driven a large mob of sheep along the track, in some places it has been greatly improved. Between the Nineteen-Mile Creek and Poison Creek, however, portions of the road are cut up to an almost dangerous extent. Out of curio* sityl measured some of the ruts, and found them to be between two and three feet in dopth. This is a state of things that ought not to exist, for Government appropriates £l5O each year to keep the road in repair. , .

The parties working on the bank of the Clutha and near Poison Creek have an ample supply of water, and seem to be. well satisfied with what they are doing ; if one may judge by the amount of time and labour expended in the construction of dams and races, the population seems to be settled down.

At Luggate Creek, the race brought in by Messrs Williams, Farquhar, and party is completed as far as/the point where they intend to commence operations. This party has gone to a great expense in bringing in their race, which is the highest in the district; and commands all the ground between.the Luggate Creek and Poison Creek. It is thereforeto be hoped that they will reap, as they deserve, a rich remuneration for their outlay. Not only does this extensive undertaking show their faith in the payable nature of the ground they have taken up, but the permanent benefits accruing to the district, from the fact that such enterprises meet with that reward which the pluck and determination of the miners entitles them to, form an incentive to prospeot and develope ground which otherwise would be untouched for years. It is also satisfactory to know "that the dispute between the European miners and the Chinamen—concerning a claim of five acres taken up by the latter, under the acreage system; at the foot of the gully where Williams and party proposed to run their tailings—has been amicably arranged. The Chinese have undertaken to keep the tail-race clear, so that the tailings do not flow over their ground; and thus future disputes will be avoided. There are several parties working on the Luggate Creek with Varied success,, and ; a few on the banks of the Clutha,

Proceeding onward towards theCardrona a long aud monotonous route is traversed, and the sameness is only diversified by the' devious windings of the creek, which has to be crossed about eighteen times. In the valley of the Cardrona, you find the little township, which looks ' smaller than it really is, on account of its being so much scattered. The township comprises three hotels, three European and four Chinese stores, all of them doing a fair amount of business. ■£**'•<*

Messrs Cotter, Keiran, and Ryley, who combine farming pursuits with their butchering business, have been doing well since the influx of Chinese that took place recently. The arrival of the Celestials has caused a' brisk demand for provisions of all sorts; and as the firm above-mentioned raise their, own.mutton, they can supply it to the public at a reasonable price. The Chinamen who have come here lately, with the exception of about twelve, have all set in to work, and are getting satisfactory returns for their labour. They are working the old ground over again, aud have spread into many of the small creeks that run into the Cardrona. The claims are mostly all well supplied with water, and some of them are turning out splendidly. The bed of the creek is taken up for a distance of seven or eight miles below the township ; whilst the small adjacent gullies are being well aud thoroughly prospected. As a proof of the success met with, I may mention that a number of Chinese, working in a large stream, called the [".ranch creek, are netting from .£6 to £lO per man for the week's work. Each man can hold an acre under his miner's right, so there is every inducement to settle down when they obtain a good prospect, Ttte large extent of ground they are enabled to occupy assures them of long and constant employment, and also gives greater confidence for the investment of capital in plant and machinery. No. district has benefited more than the Cardrona from the extended claim system. A large party of Chinese are setting in to the old ground, having taken up the old Homeward Bound and part of the old Pirate claims, both famous as being formerly tho richest claims in the district'. Ifc is a heavy undertaking, for the claims are very deep, and full of water to within fourteen feet of the surface. If they succeed in opening- the ground, they richly merit all the' luck they may have; and should they be fortunate enough to strike the old lead, there is no doubt thoy will bo handsomely paid.

Bond and party arc engaged cutting a tail-race into their ground, and are carry' fug a little "gold with them, not as yet pay. able, but about'sufficient to clear the working expensHS., , ;;

Austin', Stott'u, and party are getting good payable gold. These njenhave oxpended a good deal of time and labour on their ground, and are now reaping the reward of their perseverance. They ara amongst the oldest residents on the creek, and although they have beon pretty successful, they have always be«n among'st the foremost to speculate in anything likely to lead to the advancement of the district. The claim is situated between the Homeward Bound and Bond and party's" claims. Biown and party, formerly known as iha Brigand party, are the next to Austin and party. , :. ~ . - : ; - ,

Mace and party, known as the Young Pirate Company, are prospecting at Butcher's Flat, and have been for the last threemonths engaged in the construction of a tail-race. They'have sunk "a-paddock 35 feet square, and have touched f the bottom at the head of the race ; but it is dipping fast towards the terrace, and they will have to get machinery, on to the ground. They intend, I believe, to try for the old Homeward Bound lead, ami are determined to thoroughly test the Flat, through which there is no doubt the lead runs. Should the lead Continue, a bright aud prosperous future is in store for the Cordrona. This party is the lowest claim on the creek held by Europeans. From this point tb Branch Greek, the ground is occupied .by Chinese, who are working the points of the spurs and in the blind gullies, and are obtaining payable gold. The prospecting claim adjoining Bond and party (who are the real prospectors) is abandoned. Complaint is made that no account has ever been given of the manner in which the. Government "grant-in-aid for the development of this claim has been expended.

Proceeding from Mr Patterson's store up the creek, the first claim is the Alt Nations', which has been a good pay-in* claim all through, and still maintains its favourable reputation. The party have a good command ,of water, and the plant in use on the claim is of the best. The tailrace drains the claim without the aid of machinery. Next to the A.ll* Nations', is the claim of Needham and party, who have had poor ground for the last two months, but it is now improving.

Messrs Louis, Vally, Ingersel, and Wileyhave gone to great expense in bringing up their tail-race, but they are now getting some recompense for their pluck and perseverance, as they have been on splendid gold foi the last four months.

Next to the above claim is a largo party of Chinese, who are re-working the old ground with good results. When they ara fortunate enough to get a piece of solid ground, they get splendid gold, having divided as much as £3O per man for the week. Their average earnings are from £3 to £4 a-week each.

Pox, Swyer, and party are opening out new ground, and expect to be well remunerated, although at present they are only making wages. Halliday, M'Grath, and party are prospecting new ground, and are sanguine of success. Gill, a hatter, is satisfied with what he , is doing. Butler, also a solitary miner, is believed to be on good gold : he has stuck to his ground for the last two years, Paddon and Stewart are said to be doing well. Wright has done remarkably well lately, and for* the last six months is said to havo averaged from £6 to £lO a-week. ■ Dunn and party are also on good gold. The creek, for the Jgfc two miles, is taken up by Chinese, H§ft,lf wj»u art? getting payable gold. niplMMak From the will be seen that the Cardifoi*gHßPaintaii:!«t its favourable reputation, jSofaras I could learn, the whole of the parties who havo set in to work have been successful. There are few fields that could so easily absorb such a large population as that which has lately migrated to the Cardrona, and at the same time furnish Such ample remuneration for their labour in so short a time. A large extent of country has not yet been prospected, and as an abundant supply of water is to be had from the ranges, there is every likelihood that when the district bocomerf thoroughly known, there will be on this distant gold-field one of the largest mining: populations in the Province. The Cardrona lies in an out-of-the-way place at the back of the Mount Pisa ranges, and as all the gold from thence is absorbed into the Arrow district escort, the average yield has never been properly known. In conclusion, I may state that this promising: locality is. almost certain, sooner or later, to ba prospected right dowu the crook hA far as Albertown. " .