EXTRACTS FROM NOTE BOOK.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 97, 7 August 1866, Page 3

EXTRACTS FROM NOTE BOOK.

Sunday, Juke 17. Arrival of Mr. George Jervis in Nelson, at dark. He stated to me that Mailer had arrived the day before in Canvas Town, and that, from what he related to him, and from what he knew about four ■uipicious men having left Canvas Town the day before, he wat certain that Mathieu's party had met with foul play. He gives the description of the four suspicious men, which answers exactly to that of those men who were seen at the Bridge Hotel, Waimea-road, on that same day, dining at the Mine table as Mr. and Mrs. Jerri?, of the Com-. mercial Hotel, and who, it appears, had a ride up the country on the same occasion. Went with George Jervit and Sergeant Goodall, of the Havelock Police, on the same night, to give information to Mr. Shallcrais, and arranged that immediate steps •hould be taken to go to the relief of the missing men, hoping they would be found alive. Arranged that I should form a party of four men ready to ■tart at daylight for the Maungatapu, while G. Jervis would stop in town to endeavour to discover the whereabouts of the suspicious men. Obtained a promise from Mr. Shallcrass that a horse and supplies should be sent to Franklyn's Flat the next day, for the use of my Search Party. George Jervis related to me that he had engaged Mr. Wilson, of Pelorus Valley, to accompany him On the journey to Kelson, and that they had como together a* far as the saddle. Mr. Wilson, being confident that the men had reached Nelson in safety, tried to persuade Jervis to go back to Canvas Town. Of course G. Jervis did not agree with him, and, fearing that the worst, event had taken place, he resolved to push on alone, and to reach Nelson the lame day, aa he would not rest until the alarm had been given, and immediate steps taken for the apprehension of the suspected party. Got from Mr. G. Jervis a memorandum of the •uipicioui men. Went about the town to enlist three volunteers to join me in the search. Very disappointed in finding not one willing to go. The people of the town will not credit the story, and some say that G. Jervis must be mad, and that his brother ought to take care of him as he may turn out dangerous. 11 o'clock, p.m. — Got everything ready to start to-morrow by myself. Monday, Junk 18. At daylight, went to see Sergeant Edwards, and informed him of my failure in endeavouring to form a i«arch party. 1 told him to ask Mr. Shallcrass to have the goodness to make up the party with oomtablef , and have it ready as soon as possible. 0 o'clock, p.m.— Saw Mr. Shallcrass. Got horse and supplies from Him, and three constables (Bradcock, Flett, and Marten) to join me. 11 o'clock p.m. — Started from the Government buildings for the search on the Maungatapu road, taking amongst our lupply a little oatmeal and brandy, in ca«e we should discover the missing men ; as I supposed they would be tied up in the bush, and greatly reduced by cold and want of nutritives. Got our dinner at Smyth'* house, five miles from Nelion. Got to Dwyer*i Accommodation House, four milei farther, by about three o'clock. Met there a Deep Creek party, consisting of six men— William Price (stepson of Felix Mathieu), William Davis, Auguste Hardy, Jame» Griffith, Henry Hope, and George Davy. I learnt from that party that they bad received the alarm from Msller on Sunday, and that they had left Deep Creek on the tame day; had camped on the Heringai had tracked the horse of the missing party this side of Franklyn's Flat ; and that they were going to Nelion to tee if really the mining BCD bad sot arrived.

I told them that they could do nothing more in Nelson than what had been done until the present time ; and that George Jervis would see that the buspicious men would be carefully looked for. As they could only get a small supply of provisions at Dwye'r's, they decided to despatch two of their party to Nelson to bring more supplies. In the meantime they were having a meal, and the conversation fell on one of the suspicious men, who was at Deep Creek the Sunday week before, and who had spent the night at the Cafe de Paris (Mr. Mathieu's hotel). From the description given of the mun, Constable Martin stated that he had seen the man in company with two or three others the week before, and that the last time he had seen him was on Saturday last at the Rising Sun, Waimearoad. The name of Levy was pronounced, and I at onre wrote a letter to the police officer in charge at Nelson, concerning the whereabouts of that man, and applii-d for more supplies, as the number of our search party was augmented by four men. The other two Deep Creek men, Aupuste Hardy, and Will Davis.l directed to go to Nelson at full speed and to deliver the letter in proper hands on the same day. About half-past three, when we had resumed our journey again, we arrived at the old chimney , or Nash's Accommodation house, half way up the Mangatapu from Dwyer's. The constables and the horse were a head , in order to have the tent fixed up at Franklyn's Flat before dark. Having a look out at the chimney to see if there were any sign 9of a late fire, I discovered, in front of the chimney, a piece of burned paper; tried if I could make out the reading ; unsuccessful. Gave another look round. Found a piece of newspaper rolled up, containing some black substance. Called the attention of the party to it. Thought it was black sand. Found afterwards, in tasting it, that it Was gunpowder. Noticed that the piece of pnper was part of the Marlborough. Press, of the 80th May, 1866. Found also concealed in the dry fern of an old encampment, some calico bag, one part of a 1001b. Chilian flourbag. Directed the men to search all round the chimney, when Harry Hope picked up another piece of paper, part also of a Marlborough Press, containing about half-an-ounce of pepper. Noticed an old track going in a southerly direction from the chimney, and saw foot-prints of men forward and backward for a distance of about thirty yards. Found nothing else, and resumed our journey again. Half a mile further up, met a man on horseback going to Nelson. Wrote a second note to the police officer in charge at Nelson, informing him of the suspicious character of the things we had found at the old chimney, and requesting him to cause a strict search to be made in town for the suspected men. Forwarded the said note by the horseman, and requested him to deliver it the same night. It is getting dark. Crossed the Maungatapu saddle by five o'clock, and made Franklyn's Flat by six o'clock. Found the tent pitched up in an old slab 6tore, and a good fire awaiting us. Got our tea, tied the horse, and went to bed on a luxurious bed of dry fern. Our tent rather small to accommodate all of us. Had a look at the pieces of the Marlborough Press we found at the old chimney, and noticed that the two pieces were part of the same paper.