GOOD LURE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 114, 10 November 1934, Page 9

GOOD LURE

SOUTH, SEA ISLANDS

HAZARDOUS SEARCH

(From:f'Ths Port* Representative.) !■ r.V- • >v;-:':;x-/i-'v:?,?SYi>NE%y;.'-. Nqvember; ?£.

'•rSoveager/isthe search:-for gold these. ;^ay's):t^t:^on^/of"fee,nipst'forbidd^ spotsc in the vjungle^la|L glands; of;; the SoutioiSeas,-^which;;hare :ney'er;, : before .;b'eeiiv.p.enetratedKby-'^hite"?meh; are now ".being ;p'rospected(!by.!"bands;.; of; advent iurouslmen, -!inpst,.fci£ them; Australians', ;^ho:.are prepared to-bravo.the-wUder-.hes^s.vand;Vthe vVrig'6tirß;-Vo£. ;vthe;-';Tn>piiß!s.;-; iFew: explorersi'i: however,, have :met with, greater I^a -party; which set: Pvtti;from Sydney;;spme mbnth'siago unde^the : : of MnvP. ;Cburtenay,;: :director.:.of the ;■ Treasure: Isliand ::Exploratipn~ Company/ fLtdy;. :Mr.•;:-Gourr tenay'has'jus't^^^ returned "to! Sydney' to Tepbrt on.'ithe'results; of his ahvestiga-' tibris■ ■ and to ,dis.euss future plans.■•;:: ;;,> '•;' :'Thel party -'si;^^ original •antention", was to prospect Santa"Crttz)':4oo miles north bf^Tulagi;v«;»Courteilay,=,ahd;; his mien chartered.a cutter; and, iafter a"".fear:ful vallinightrexperienceV in;, a ,-tropical :galqj' during;<'t which/;the• '■< cutter -^ was blown many mile«ybut..of its course,' the party, eventually^ diroppied / anchoi-, •;; at. San Christobal; Island. In/view;: of the treacherous. weather ; thati-proyaila , in; those waters'a't this-period-:of 'the year the/expedition decided to ret.urn,to Tiilagivtand". concentrate •>'• on. Guaiialcanal Island, ■': 'concerning*■:; which had previously givenv.the expedition to understand>that ithere was likelihood of gold being'found: in the .interior,; .'

'?: Guadalcanal lyasireached "several days later, and?the party> was r met -by local prospectors and guided through, almost impenetrable ■ junglo: f or:< a,: distance of 15;. miles.'■. This hocessita'tccl ■ an!.ascent to.' 5300-feet after a: hazardousjjourney involving .■■'thei;, fording : -of ;. crocodileinfested streams.." -The.;crossing;of the 'Streams could,. only be i effected > after native 'carriers ; had gone ahead;.; and >frightened;the crocodiles'by loud clam'ouring'and;',violent: : It :>-w;as found that the country -was .exceedingly ■auriferpiisj..' and' -. ■; certainly :'• -warranted close V' inyestigation.-irjSome high-grade alluvial -gold,, was -secured; from the creek ";beds ■■) and i tributaries, and samples: have been brought i.to ■ Australia.-" Traces ::of. platinum iCtvere also found:' -How it.-will be possible1 to work these-areas>at:';at.profit< is, a problem : that th(3 company. will have to solve. -■■- While1 on the island the expedition discovered soons remarkable caves, outrivalling Janolan/ in New" South Wales, for majestic grandeur and beauty, even if' they: were not equal in: delicacjr of formation. ,: , .; - :' -;...'"■'