THE KIMBERLEY RUSH.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5552, 21 July 1886, Page 4

THE KIMBERLEY RUSH.

The following passages from the letter of the Argils' special correspondent, from Derby, will be of interest : — APPEARANCE OP THINGS. It ia true that we have heard of some parties from Port Darwin returning unsuccessful and dissatisfied, but not a single man has come into Derby, be he an experienced miner or a mere tyro, without any gold to show for his few months' work. And all this has been mere surface work or gully scraping. lam told that the pick has not yet been used on the ground. Another great proof that the whole thing is not a Will o' the Wisp is that few parties who have returned here do not intend going back again, either immediately or as soon as the rainy Beason approaches. This is not a good time to go up, water being very scarce on the field. When Hall, the pioneer of the field, was up in July last year, he had to carry some of his dirt as far as two miles to wash it. He went up again in October, returning to Derby early last month, and does not intend going back till September or October again. He was a good deal troubled'and hindered by sickness in his party, and was, considering all things, very successful. But he describes the work as " fossicking." On one point, and that a most important one, all the miners are agreed, that this will prove a magnificent reefing field. All the indications are very rich. Salttery, who went up with Hall's party, brings down a quartz nugget weighing 28oz, of which at least 20oz is estimated to be pure gold. One man went so far as to say that reefs on the Ord field would yield 2000oz to the ton, but this must be taken with several grains of salt. There is, however, no room for doubt that reefing will be the backbone of the country CONVEYANCE. Pack horses will not be such a necessity as they were at first, for there are a great many teams going up in the next few weeks, which will take up "swags" and ton's for about £Q or £7 a hundred weight, or even less. When the distance is taken into consideration thi3 ia not an unreasonable charge. THE HARBOUR. Hitherto the large steamera belonging to the E. and A. Company have had +o anchor off Point Torment, about 14 miles from Derby, but before another one comes a channel will be buoyed, so that they can come within two miles of the jetty. As yet no certificated pilot has been appointed to the port, but there is a man here who knows the Sound thoroughly, and he has been appointed to act provisionally. THE FCTITHE. If, with its goldfields, pearling grounds, and magnificent pastoral country, this district does not very soon outstrip some of her older competitors, it will go very hard with it. Its fame has penetrated into South Africa, whence several miners have already coma. More than a whisper has reached the English papers, and the only thing f urtner needed is the proper development of the district's fine resources.

The Townsville Standard of a recent date contained a summary of a letter written by a miner named Daniel Delvy, and dated "Elvira River (Kimberley diggings), April 7." Delvy states that during the past wet season, which lasted sbout five months, about twenty-five men were engaged' on the field. All the parties got gold, which was scattered over a considerable extent of country, amounting in the aggregate to about l,ooooz. All j Bujj t ,iio a aie drawn from Derby, and on the date that Delvy wrote— April 7— several parties were leaving for a stock of rations. The trip to Derby and back takes three •months, and only experienced bushmen can safely make the journey, the distance •from the Elvira River being 360 miles. Delvy and party had been living for fourteen weeks on damper and tea without sugar, and he says the privations that have to be undergone are something dreadful. He asserts that unless more payable country is found ifc would be madness for men to leave permanent situations, and also urges them if they do come to come well prepared. The party prospected the Margaret River, a splendid stream for a considerable distance, and discovered gold in the ravines for 50 miles. Owing to the rains having ceased, it was Impossible to work these ravines, and nothing «an therefore be done until nexl- wet season, which commences in November. Delvy states that no party can get sufficient gold to pay them until the wet season, and strongly advises miners not to arrive on the field until about November. Horses are fetching £36 each at Derby. A great amount of prospecting has been done, and a tremendous amount of country run over by the men on the field, all of whom are firßtclass bushmen. The Kimberley gold-fields have nearly drained the territory of Europeans. An old resident, writiug from Cambridge Gulf on April 20, says that the trip from Palmerston can be made in 24 hours. Large vessels can anchor at View-hill, with nine fathoms alongside the bank and passengers can jump ashore. Smaller crafts can reach Mount Houseroof, 50 miles up the Ord River, cutting off the marshy country. M'Phee and par«y had brought news that they had found gold in a great many places. They had 300z., and had never camped twice in the same place. They got gold in the watersheds of the I Ord and Margaret. They did not reach the diggings proper. Apparently there are three auriferous belts. The nearest, ! which is 70 miles from the Gulf, has not been prospected. The diggers are widely ! scattered. Elvy's party brought In 70oz. of gold. Both parties came for storas, which they packed back. They feared the natives would prove troublesome, and warned diggers that horseß were indispensable. King Sound compares unfavorably with Cambridge Gulf for landing facilities, and as regards distance from the goldfield.-