PROSPECTING ON THE WEST COAST.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 26, 29 July 1863, Page 3

PROSPECTING ON THE WEST COAST.

It will be in the recollection of many of our readers that the cutter Aquila, Captain Austin, left this port during the month of March last, carrying a party of diggers, nine in number, who had determined on a prospecting expedition to that part of the West Coast south of the junction of the Provinces of Canterbury and Otago. The vessel has now brought back the whole of the party in safety, and the great interest recently manifested with regard to the capabilities of the part of New Zealand she has visited, warrants us in supposing that a brief notice of the trip will be acceptable to the public generally. The Aquila sailed from the New River on the 26th March, and after a passage of 37 days, during which she experienced very heavy weather, Milford Haven was reached, without any further mishap than the discovery that the vessel's stores were by no means of good quality, doubts being also expressed as to whether their quantity was sufficiently large to enable the party to continue the prospecting for the time originally proposed —namely, for five months. Subsequent events proved that these doubts were well founded, or the trip would scarcely have terminated so soon as it did. On landing at Milford Haven, the party proceeded inland a distance of about ten miles over a very rough and unpromising line of country, when further progress was arrested by the mountain chain, which rose abruptly to an enormous height. Peak towered above peak, and the whole scene presented an appearance of wild and rugged grandeur. After various unsuccessful attempts to discover a pass, it was thought advisable to return to the vessel, which was accordingly done; not, however, before several spots had been prospected for gold. The "metal" was not to be had—not even the color; and but a poor account is given of the probability of its ever being discovered around the shores of Milford Haven. The formation appeared to be granitic, but there was an almost total absence of alluvium, or, as it is familiarly designated by diggers " wash." After leaving Milford Haven, the Aquila proceeded to the Awarua River, and here again an attempt was made to gain the summit of the ranges, but with no better result. The mountains are described as rising six or seven miles from the sea, the intervening space being densely timbered with forests of pine and birch, the former attaining a gigantic size. Some of the trees were as much as ten feet in diameter, and from one to two hundred feet in height. In time these forests will no doubt. be turned to good account, in 6pite of the inaccessible nature of the country they occupy. No trace of gold could be discovered on the Awarua. Ihe next part of the coast which was visited was a river called by the prospectors the Wakatip, and here they met a party of Maories (the only ones seen), consisting of three women and one man. From these natives a canoe was obtained for the purpose of exploring the river, but subsequently the boat belonging to the vessel was employed on this service. At a distance of several miles from the coast, the river widened into a lake of very considerable dimensions, leadicg from which was another river, and above that a second lake. Neither of these lakes are laid down in the maps. From the head of the second lake the prospectors proceeded about five miles further inland, and were reluctantly compelled to retrace their steps in consequence of the severity of the weather and their stock of provisions running short. They complained greatly of the master of the vessel, Captain Austin, for having deceived them as to the quantity of provisions he had on board. He agreed to take, and subsequently said he had on board five months' supply, whereas the sequel proved there was barely enough for two. There was a very limited quantity of ammunition, and had it not been for the kindness of the natives mentioned above, it is certain some of the party would have perished of hunger during the last trip inland. The Maories gave them preserved eels, potatoes, and shellfish, and otherwise treated them with kindness. On the party leaving the ship at the Wakatip River, the captain took the vessel round to Milford Haven, promising to return in ten days, and leaving for each man, besides a little powder and shot, lOlbs. biscuits, l|lbs. sugar, and a sufficient quantity of tea. On this meagre supply the party existed for six days, and then, their ammunition being expended, five of them started to walk to Milford Haven, with half a pound of biscuit each (?) The journey occupied four days, the ground traversed being of the roughest description; in some places a track had to be cut through the dense underwood. The vessel was found in Milford Haven, and she then returned for the remainder of the party, who were discovered in a deplorable state of want, having been thirteen days without food, except such small'

quantities as the natives, who were themselves badly provided, could supply. Although no gold was discovered by the prospectors on this river, still the general appearance of the country, and the great quantity of washed gravel, quartz, &c.,—the indications of gold to the practical miner—led them to suppose that the ground they were traversing was auriferous ; and had it not been that hunger compelled them to retreat before the pla" 1 was fairly tested, it was the general opinion of the party that a discovery of importance would have been made. There is an air of probability given to this supposition when we take into consideration the fact that there could have been only a distance of a few miles between the head of the second lake visited and the west coast of Lake Wakatip. But a short time will probably elapse before other parties will visit the seme locality, and if nothing else is effected, the question as to there being a practicable track from the Lake to the west coast will be set at rest.— Invercargill Times, July 21.