MINING MATTEES ON THE KARAKA HILL. (FROM THE "THAMES ADVERTISER," APRIL 18.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3358, 21 April 1868, Page 3

MINING MATTEES ON THE KARAKA HILL. (FROM THE " THAMES ADVERTISER," APRIL 18.)

Ik pursuance of our intention to notice every claim on these goldfields we now give the result of * virit to a few claims on the Karaka Hill, a locality perhapi somewhat despised because it has been eclipsed in richness t>y other portions of the field, but not the less noticeable in our columns on that account.. The; recent heavy rains had been disastrous in their effect on several claims, and tons of valuable auriferous quartz bad been washed away. Our visit was consequently not at the most opportune time ; but we felfc ourselves amply repaid by visiting the scenes of the miners' labours, inquiring into their fortunes, and listening to their troubles and complaints. During our progress several persons accosted us on the subject of their claims, by which are meant the holes or pits they hare sunk for gold-seeking. These cases were generally of one sort : a party of diggers had sunk a pit to some depth when they were . arrested by the heavy rain wbich had filled up the cavity. We did not, however, find one instance in which the digger had been so disgusted with this state of things as to abandon his claim and go elsewhere. If a person could be found who had been so foolish, there is no doubt that a party passing that way, and observing the abandoned premises, would make calculations of the case, take possession, pump out the water, and ultimately enjoy the gold. Under such circumstances it would be no use the old proprietors, probably not very fortunate in their new location, putting in their claim for the other. Such cases are, however, of a very exceptional character. The diggings here appear to be on a more elaborate scale, and more indicative of arts and appliances, than is commonly supposed. Tunnelling, for instance, is very common, and the number of claim! are constantly getting larger. On looking down a hole 20 or 40 feet deep frequently no object is observable ; but on adventuring a loud holloa a response arises from the chambers of the solid deep, followed by a figure emerging into the visible world with the assistance of a mate attracted to the spot by our presence. We came upon a party who were excavating upon, perhaps, a more wholesale scale than customary, although noc to our minds the most workmanlike. They had out a shaft of great length from the surface, where it was the easiest thing in creation to have commenced by tunnelling, and so have taken the whole area by working upwards in a much safer and more concise manner. At one corner th«y had gone somewhat deeper, having the usual impatience to touch the more auriferous beds ever associated with deep digging. The operations were of an elaborate character, but were very liable to be nonplussed by the heavy rains which characterise the season now fast approaching. The undermining system is, however, the most common, as it is the most workmanlike ; and there were few cases in which the heavy rains had left the water in the mines or broken down the sides, and none in which the lateral boring had been filled up and the possibility of access or inspection prevented. We were courteously shown through several shafts, and guided by candles into the numerous side-workings. These were entered most easily, having been made the full height, so that no recourse to a journey on all-fours was rendered necessary. ■ Although the auriferous stratum was usually thm in the claims, sufficient other material was excavated to render the visit agreeable rather than otherwise. Asyttem of under-propping by posts and timber was observable in many claims, to prevent any subsidence of the upper beds. The stratum beneath the auriferous grit was sometimes of a gravelly character, and at others a soft schist of the finest grain, in some cases with a texture like that of the most delicate satin. The colour was towards ft satin grey, and the same formation appeared to prevail in most claims. This auriferous character, in fact, appeared to prevail throughout. We give some account of the work done in a few of the claims on this hill, but shall have to pay it another visit before we c«n be said to have done it anything like justice. The Duke of Edinburgh, or Scaplan and Co.'s claim, is one of the very creditably worked mines we visited. We traversed a well-wrought tunnel of 208 feet, containing three branches of 90 feet. There are also two shafts on the claim — which has been sunk to a depth of about 100 feet. About 100 tons of quartz have been taken, out of the first drive, twenty ton 8 of which were washed away from the stack by a slip during the recent rains, to the great loss of the cUimholders. A lower drive had been put in to a depth of twenty feet, and a shaft 44 feet. Of the quartz taken out, about 60 tens hare been crushed, which yielded between loz. and 2oz. to^ the ton. About 10 tons were being crushed at the time of our visit, and were expected to turn out a little better, as some quartz presenting no better appearance gives a yield of 4oz. to the ton. There are three drives on, the claim all completed in a creditable manner. The third has reached a distance of 107 feet. In the first drive a mullocky leader was opened, a continuation of which was found in the second. A cross drive was then put in to prospect the place more perfectly, and in the lower one good stone was found. The last crushing from the claim was done at Scanlan's, and yielded 2oz to the ton. The ground is worked by six men. A. claim near the last-named we found registered for two months, the proprietor (Mr. Dewolf) being engaged in the erection of machinery at the creek, situated at the foot of the hill. Here were two drives and ft shaft. The drive wat 50 feet and the shaft 25 feet, with a second 50-feet drive. Another drive had been commenced from the shaft and had extended 10 feet, from which a good show had been obtained. The last crushing wan done at Gibbons's machine, and only yielded 15dwt. to the ton. The Army and Navy Claim, of six men's ground, appeared to make a good show for their labour, although with no result hitherto. There were two shafts of 33 feet each ; another drive of 70 feet higher up the hill, being 53 feet apart, with a third one 56 feet. As if to add to the intricacy of the net-work of drives and shafts, all with one object— that of securing a leader— there was another of smaller dimensions, namely, 15 feet deep, with two drives extending from it. After all th« work the claim had been registered for three months, for want of fund*. The Prince of Wales Claim —so called because the party struck gold on the anniversary of the Prince's birthday— is the next we visited. Fere we found 5 men's ground, and a shaft 33 feet, with 20-feet and 30-feet drives, and good mullocky leaders. Twenty tons had been crushed at Ellis and Scaulan's with a yield of 2oz to the ton. The shafts contained two drives of 20 feet each. The first of these extended downwards until the noise of the excavation became very plainly heard in the Duke of Edinburgh, and a little more would have sufficed to let ft passags into it. We found 10 tons ready for- the machine, which had an excellent appearance. The late rains had waterlogged one of the holes and broken off the leader. A ton of quartz had been crushed for this claim at Fraser and Tinne's machine, and the yield was found superior to that off Scanlan's. Twenty pounds of specimens had likewise been crushed by the men with an extravagant yield. The next in order came the claim known a3 Crisp's, which has been worked for four months past. Here we found drives 50 feet, 120 feet, and 100 feet, and a shaft commenced which will extend 100 feet. Twenty tons of stuff had been' crushed at Fraser and Tinne's machine, which yielded 4uz 4dwt.to the ton after smelting. Near this was a new claim known as Braithwaite and party's, only opened about 14 days ago, but with a splendid prospect. A few days before our visit a leader had been struck, which was believed to extend to the Army and Navy Claim, the one adjoining. But our space is exhausted, and we must defer noticing the Head Centre, the Middle* ton's, and a host of others on the hill, until a future issue.

The growing desire for horseflesh ought not to bo overlooked \>y our ecclesiastical contemporaries. It is neither more nor, less ttian a return to the pagan practices of oar earliest ancestors, a relapse into the precise wickedness which cost the Christian missionaries so much trouble 1,200 or 1,300 years ago. Horseflesh was eaten io those times aC meat offered to idols, and wai valued accordingly, and the missionaries forbade their converts to keep up » taste for it, hoping thereby to eradwate the hut i for idolaSou. offerinfs from the be«to of the > ne* Christian* In England, where great oare was taken not to deter the Paeans from Christianity by too sudden a demand for change 6t customs, the Penitential of Archbishop Eo-bert rules that "horseflesh is not prohibited,* adding, however, as a bint to all lespeotableperson^ "though many families will not buy. it." f -At m Council held in the year 785, under the' presidency of' Gregory,' Bishop of Ostia, it was decided as follows : — ' ' Many among you eat hones, which ia not done by any Christians in the fast. Avoid this." With strict missionaries eating horseflesh was classed with idol woridjip and the exposure of infants aa three things which a heathen man must renourioo whqa he