THE PALMER DIGGINGS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4266, 21 November 1874, Page 3

THE PALMER DIGGINGS.

Prom a late letter of the Palmer correspondent of the Cooktown Courier we make the following extracts; — FAMINE PRICES. It would almost appear that the very enterprising merchants of Cooktown had conspired together to draw the entire digging population of the Palmer to the port, by stopping the supplies ; otherwise why have not arrangements been made for adequately provisioning these diggings ? Paris was scarcely worse off during the latter, days of the seige than the Palmer is at the present moment, except in the matter of beef, which, at Is. a pound, is the only cheap thing we have on the diggings, and the only thing that keeps body and soul together. A comparison of the prices ruling at the Weddin Mountain rush, in New South Wales, 300 miles from port, and those ruling at the Palmer 160 miles from port, is strikingly suggestive of mismanagement somewhere : Weddin Mountain rush (N.S.W.), 300 miles from port.—Bread (brought to diggers’ tents), 21b. loaf, 4d.; beef (steaks), 3d.—(At the Lachlan rush, with its population of 40,000 diggers, beef was at one time sold 141bs, for a shilling.) —Tea, per lb., 2s. 6d.; sugar, 4d.; tobacco, 6s. 5 English potatoes, per cwt., 2s. 64 to 55.; pickles, per bottle, Is. 3d.; jams, per tin, Is.; flour, per lb., 2d.;-blucher boots, 65.; brandy, per bottle, 4s. 6d.; porter, 2s. 6d.; vinegar, .8(1; salt, per lb., Id.; sperm candles (160z5.), Is.; apples, per lb., 6d.; horse-shoeing, 65.; and other goods at correspondingly low prices. Oakey Creek, Palmer Bush, 160 miles from port.—Elour (when obtainable), per lb., 3s. 6d. to 4s. ; damper (to travellers), per lb., 4s. ; beef, Is.; tea, 65.; sugar, 3s. 94 ; tobacco, 12s. ; rice, 4s. ; English potatoes, per lb., 3s.— fresh potatoes, 3s. (on Stoney Creek, 4s. 6d. per lb.) ; pickles, per bottle, 4s. ; jams, per tin, 3s. 6d. ; blucher boots (according to quantity on diggings), 255. to 455. per pair ; brandy, per bottle, 20s. ; porter, 10s. ; vinegar, 20s. ; salt, per lb., 3s. ; candles, per 1b.,; ss. ; apples, per lb., 3s. 9d.; preserved potatoes, per lb., 3s. 64; oatmeal, per lb;, 3a. 94 ; horse-shoeing, 30s. ; and other goods at correspondingly crushing prices. It is extraordinary indeed that some large firm has not long ago established a depot at Palmerville, and another at Edwards’ camp, for supplying this important goldfield with rations, and thus take advantage of a singularly favorable opportunity of realising a splendid fortune in a comparatively short time, and making stationary a population of some 4000 or 5000 miners, of whom hundreds are now leaving daily, disheartened and disgusted ; a very, great number never again to return.' As it now is, the digger is dependent on a few packers and shanty keepers, scarcely one of whom has the slightest knowledge of business—parasites who have made a rich harvest out of the Palmer diggers on a capital of perhaps a couple of mules, or three or four broken-winded horses, or a couple of gallons of Port Mackay rum. ’ The storekeepers of Maryborough find it necessary to advertise the reason of their advancing the price of boots 3d. per pair,; but the shanty keepers and packers of Oakey Creek think it quite unnecessary to give the diggers there any reason for advancing the price of the same article 15a. per pair in one day ! THE BLACKS. ■ It was at Pine Creek that they made a reconnaissance in force recently, and commenced spearing horses in every direction, until they were right in the midst of the tents, where at least eight horses were seen to fall by their hands. The blacks were, supposed to number no less than 200 or 300, and on more than one occasion, men in search of horses were encountered by them, and compelled to run for their lives. Things began to look serious, and diggers were naturally apprehensive that at any moment a regular raid might be made on the camp. At last, when it was known beyond the shadow of a doubt that at least fifty horses had been speare4 it was resolved to put a stop to this wholesale massacre if possible. With this object twentytwo diggers, well armed, mustered one evening, and proceeded up the creek in quest of the blackfellows’ camp. After travelling nearly all night, their fires were at last sighted, and the avengers, dividing into two parties, and posting themselves conveniently for the work of dispersion, waited patiently for the dawn. When at last day broke, something like 200 blacks were seen squatting about the fires. The white men soon made their presence known, and in. a moment the yelling of the blacks, thus taken by J surprise, was horrible. . . They did not show fight, but ran right in the direction where the second party, who had not yet shown themselves, were posted. . . . In the camp were found the skeletons of fourteen horses, the flesh of which had been eaten, and the bones cleared artistically. There were also two or three broken guns, miners’ dishes and other tools, Crimean shirts, and heaps of other articles taken from murdered white men, or stolen from diggers’ tents. There were also about twenty mat coffins full of human bones, which they at first* attempted to take with them, but- gave up the attempt very quickly. The exclamation, “b—— whitefellow,” was frequently used amongst the blacks when running away ; arid it is thought very probable that Dumaresq’s black troopers, four or five of whom bolted some time ago, were amongst them, and directing their movements. CRIME. A “ man ” named Hugh Brisling has been committed to Rockhampton for shooting and seriously wouriding Bridget Jevlin, a manned woman. It appears that Brisling was in Jevlin’s place, and had used improper language to a daughter of their’s-while the parents were out, which they learnt from the child on their return, and ’ after Brisling’ had gone up the street. The father was naturally indignant, and said he would get an explanation from Brisling. His wife, on hearing this, and fearing a quarrel, went out before him and met the other man about 200 yards up the street, with a double-barrelled gun in his hand. She implored. him to go away, as her husband was angry and in search of him, and she wished that there should be no quarrel. Brisling said he was,not afraid of ; Jevlin any way, and if he came up he should have the contents of the gun. At this moment Jevlin came up, and the woman, throwing her :* arms round him, begged him to, go away as the other man had a gun. It would appear that Brisling was bent on murder, for ho took deliberate aim, presumedly at Jevlin ; but the charge .took effect on one side of the woraan’a-face. A scuffle then took place between the men, and the woman ran to a neighbor’s tent, her face streaming with blood, and the sight of one eye entirely destroyed. Brisling wris arrested by the police the same evening, and on the case having been heard he was fully committed. JUSTICE NOT TO BE HAD. A day or two afterwards, one James Reynolds, a carrier, who came in from Oakey Creek to swear an* information and obtain warrants for the arrest of a man named Ereeman and his wife, for making him turn out the contents of his pockets—the man holding a loaded revolver to his head and the woman threatening him with a tumbler—was told by the sub-commis-sioner and justice of the peace that the authority to take sworn informations and issue -warrants had been taken from him ; that the litigants in the small debt cases, who wore all from Oakey Creek, 24 miles away, and the person who ■ had been stuck up, as described, must go to Palmerville, some 30 or 40 miles further! Is it any wonder that in some cases plaintiffs failed to appear, or that in others defendants allowed judgment to go by default, or that the man who had just escaped from the loaded * six-shooter should exclaim, “ Well, this is damnable 1 to have to travel 240 miles to bring these villains to justice 1” It is no wonder that we hear every day of gold robberies, cases of sticking up on the high road, horse-stealing and horse-sweat-ing, and lynch law manifestations, for not one man in a hundred would go to the trouble and expense of a prosecution, whatever might be the nature of the crime, however well he might know the criminal, and however conclusive the evidence. It takes a small fortune to stand it. The prosecutor would have to ran the gauntlet,

too, through a country teeming with hostile blacks, for a distance of sixty miles or so, God knows how many times ; and, in the event of a comittal, an attendance at Townsville or Rockhampton would lose to him the result of three months’ work, and entail any amount of heavy expenses. JUSTICE LYNCH. Robberies of gold and other crimes punishable by law are matters of daily and nightly occurrence on the diggings, but not one man in a hundred would go to. the expense, trouble, and loss of time involved in a prosecution, let the robbery be what it might, or whatever the nature of the crime. I have only heard of one case, so far, where the services of Judge Lynch were called into requisition. This was at Stoney Creek, where a man was robbed of 12ozs. in one of those detestable shanties that crop out everywhere ; and suspicion falling on a fellow who was loafing about,, there was a roll-up _of diggers, and the supposed thief taken into custody. The evidence against him was held to be sufficient, and a rope having been passed around his neck in true Calcraft style, he was about to be strung up, when he disgorged three ounces and promised to make up the rest, at the same time protesting his innocence. The poor devil was so terrified by the fearful peril from which he had escaped, that during the whole of that night he kept roaring like a mad bull. There are no police within twenty-five miles of the place. TIN ORE. Recent prospecting has proved the existence of heavy deposits of black sand, containing a very high percentage of tin, in the creeks falling into the main branch of the river, from thirty to thirty-five miles above this camp (Edwards’). One party (a Stanthorpe man) who had saved a paunikinful of the mineral, informs me that he could get as much as 51bs. weight to the idish, and that he met with nothing at Stanthorpe equal to it. The place is within fifty miles of Cooktown, and no doubt, years.to come, the discovery will be turned to practical account. Here is further evidence of the richness of this part of the country in the most valuable minerals. To this the Courier adds :—“We have now at our office a fine sample of ruby tin, brought from a creek about thirty-five miles from this port. The sample has been tried, and gives a very high percentage. The party of miners who brought the ore to us say there is ‘any amount’ to be had in the neighborhood, and that the country between here and there could be easily traversed by drays in two days.” WANT OF MACHINERY. Notwithstanding the rumors' that occasionally reach us of machinery being landed at Cooktown for this place, and the freely expressed opinion of such iuen as Mr. King and Mr. Parkins—both interested in machinery—that this will prove to be one of the, richest quartz mining districts ever opened in Australia, it appears but too probable that another wet season will have come and passed away before machinery will be on the road for these reefs, from any quarter. This will throw the reefs back considerably, and possibly the owners of some of the idle ten-stamper portable machines a little further south may some day regret not having taken advantage of the opportunity now offered of finding profitable and permanent employment for machinery at present going to ruin for the want of it.