THE DART GOLDFIELD.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 151, 14 October 1876, Page 2

THE DART GOLDFIELD.

A party of four miners having Xefti Queenstown on the 13th August last \o prospect the Dart Valley, qne oi their number returned on Saturday, 30th ult., and supplies the following information to the Wakatip Mail :—" After proceeding some ten miles along the Martin's Bay track until it leaves the Dart Valley for the mountains, the real work of the party commenced, and, in order to facilitate communication with the alpine interior, they spent many days in forming a horse track—where the passage was rendered difficult by log, bush, or steep sideling—until L the hut left by the prospectors last autumn was reached. This place is nearly forty miles from the head of the Lake, and, after putting their house in order and resting a few days, three of the party con-. turned about ten miles higher val-

wtiu they reach«d the Forks, or tribuwh*re the Dart united in one Lfgani. Thb portion of the journey was Lit with greater difficulties, »>wing to L valley btnng much more confined, and L side* more precipitous. tM welt a* torsos to pass through, liowewr, Quiun M M'Fadden, being well acquainted with L country, they accowpKiiaed the jon-mey tot also cut & passable foot track where Jijnirwd. Two or three mites beyond the inrk» r and between the tributaries, ties a jtJlor extensive flat, which the prospec,(9 visited last summer, and expressed jioir opinion that it would be found' payjbly auriferous. This ground the party kjiiiy attempted to reach—their course W through scrub thickly covered with !o«v a * nearly every step the men ipfc sinking in it up to their twiddles. Jib season has been very wet for rather itiwy hert), and when it is considered mt the latitude would bo probably beroan 2,00© and 3,*)00 feet above sea level, ia not surprising to hear at the present mn of the year that the ptace was e< 11. id presented such obstacles. t'nder uso circumstances the party returned to o hut and commenced prospecting the aches below it and at the mouth of the varai gorges. Here they found good lynbte ground in the beaches on either lu of the river for about five mites—and hat they had prospected, Quinn says, :uy found it would pay fronv Ifls. to £1 ilny per man. There is naturally plenty water almost anywhere, and there are io numerous mountain torrents, as well ijood sized streams starting out of fisrus ia the mountain side. After being ciipied for some time in prospecting the twite* the party worked out a claim on oin of four acres, and also took up a roam for stuiiing purpoa«s. The cieek ,t of which the purpose bringing a water :o springs from a glacier some 100 ft. |li in the fftje, and which they have vo named the Beethara glacier."'