THE FOX PROSPECTING EXPEDITION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLII, Issue 4311, 5 December 1874, Page 3

THE FOX PROSPECTING EXPEDITION.

William Fox, the head of the party recently seat out by the Westland Government to prospect the southern portion of the West Coast, in his report to the Superintendent states that the country they traversed was, for the most part, principally very rough and covered with white birch and red pine. In the neighbourhood of the Waiatoio Eiver he discovered scones at one place which be believed: contained copper, and in the vicinity the stones in the river appeared to have been acted upon by some metallic substance. He mentions that his dog swam the river at the pointy and the water apparently nearly destroyed his eyesight, The banks of the river, he says, are flat for aboutsix miles from the mouth, and

throve met frith ft gorge two mile* in lengtkj Stwliiß the Talley widened again, with tinM hered flata. This continued for about fourteen or fifteen miles, when they found another small gorge. Above this there was an open . country for eight or, nine miles farther. The ipridth of the valley was about three or four miles. They ascended the river to a point about forty-five miles from its mouth. The-dividing range is very low towards the head of the river, and he thinks it probably that a tolerably good pass may be discovered at this place. The writer then goes on td MyfSd n ■I. ,• T y 7 m i

Wo returned down the river, breaking up the old camp, and haying- pulled down in a boat, crossed the,bar, and coasted along south* ward. We landed at Boat Harbour, hauled the boat up andaeoarad it, and leaving one man in charge, proceeded to the Gorge river. We went up the river, and found a little gold on the bars for about eight or nine miles. We did not find gold past the Forks, but our journey until we were thirty or thirty! five miles up the river, prospecting as we went along. The formation of the country far up the river is somewhat unusual for the Coast, being pipeclay in places, and a kind of conglomerated cement, with a heavy wash above m both cases. In the' rivers and creeks | found,ironstone boulders of great size. From the beach to the Forks wherever I found gold there was some metallic substance in email partieJes, a specimen of which I have in my possession. 11 appears to be a pure metal. We returned to the BoatHarbour, launched 'the boat, and with fresh supplies from Jackson’s Bay, started for Hominy Cove, which-we reached on July 22, After hauling the boat up, we started for Stafford river, and having formed a camp, proceeded to prospect the surrounding country. We found gold which would pay small wages—say from 30s to £2 per week. The ground, however, is limited in extent, and is.in the line of ranges running parallel to the coast line. - On Oct. 14 our main stock of provisions was nearly exhausted, and myself and another of the party (Mr Casey), having arrived at the conclusion that there was not sufficient gold ih tßeloSalify’to prove'remunerative, left the remainder of the men and started northwards. I reached Gillespie’s on Oct. 27, and am now at Qkarito., The total amount of gold obtained by the prospecting expedition was sold for £l3 4b 6d, which we have divided between us. I have taken rough sketches of the rivers inland.