RAMBLES THROUGH THE GOLD FIELDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 181, 26 June 1862, Page 5

RAMBLES THROUGH THE GOLD FIELDS.

By a-Victorian Misiiit of 1851

The experience of many months only confirms the opinions I expressed iv my early communication of last January. Since that period, I have rambled over known fields, and over those large tracts of country that remain cither almost untouched or in which small isolated parties of miners are alone found working. Pew, unless the rambler after same rumored discovery, have any idea of the number of these small bands that arc scattered about the country. They are stumbled upon in the most unexpected places ( and it is often very difficult to obtain any information at all from them. I think the people cf Dun-din have formed a Avrong opinion about the amount of ground that has been prospected, and the continual reiteration, on the part cf gold field correspondents, ot statements that-thc older fields are still hardly prospected, leads to erroneous conclusions. If Victoria had been as energetically prospected in its early days as Otago has been, every gold field Avouki have been almost discovered in the first couple of-years. A vast amount of prospecting has really been done, and though the results at present arc not tangible, yet the way, I feel sure, is thus paved to future discoveries, and the establishment of many workings that might otherwise remain unknown for years to come. It is presumed that because a creek is tried, a hole here and there sunk,, or some other description of working is found deserted, that it '.s really so to all intents aud purposes. But the practical miner knows otherwise ; he forms r.o such wholesale conclusions. The real fact is that the country is being scoured for rich spots. Those who have thus apparently deserted these places, will cither work some of them .or inform others of these places. The time before the arrival of \vinter was so limited.—the nature of this season was , c little known —that ifc naturally led to this systi m of prospecting, and has thus been the means of causing even well-informed parties to arrive at n conclusion not altogether warranted by facts. Who can tel the number of mine-s in Victoria, or now almost idle elsewhere in the province, who are waiting for the close of Avinter, to earnestly and steadily work many of these " bugbears" that are now causing so depressing an iufluemc ,in commercial circles. True, that this system of prosp c.ing has discovered no large fields; but one g'a.icc at Victoria will show how "ccinparntively few arc the gold fields par excellence, but how numerous aro the. small workings around and between them. The same rule applies here, and though for' the present these detached peaces have remained comparatively- uuworked during the past season, in the hopes of richer discoveries, they will, ere long, be adding to tho wealth of tlie Province, ami, as in Victoria, eventually lead to the finding of large and more extensive fields. What is digging iv Otago but prospecting ? The ground is so patchy, the gold so scattered, that even on the older gold fields it is a system of prospecting; especially upon that " Ovens of the Province," Waipori. The same remark applies to the Woolshed, the Tuapeka River rush, the Liudis, &c. The flood of nonsense that has been written aud spoken on this subject betrays an amount of ignorance of facts, and shows so superficial a knowledge of mining operations as they are now pursued, that I have dwelt upon this point somewhat long. I repeat wlmt I said in January, that the gold fields' of Otago are illimitable. A careful examination into their resources not only strengthens, but confirms the opinions I then hastily formed. It will be remembered-1 pointed out to commercial circles that a period of great depression would ensue this winter, and took care to show the reasons upo.i which I based those conclusions. It may perhaps be also remembered that I predicted a more brilliant and prosperous future after that period. It will arrive as sure as spring and summer will deck the present bleak hills with a pleasing verdure, and change tlieir now Aviutry aspect. No fears need be entertained that a succeeding winter for some years to come will cause so much depression, uneasiness, and uncertainty. With an increased and useful knowledge of the nature of a New Zealand'winter, the miner will hereafter be better prepared, and this, with a continually extending knowledge of the resources of the country, Avill conduce to an amount of confidence, and render the fluctuation of the mining population less probable. Most people like to hear of the opening of new and central rich'gold fields. I question very seriously if these are not somewhat an evil in a province like Otago, considering the shallow nature of its workings. The miner desires a rich patch to realize his day dreams in the brief hour, but I have a strong opinion, that, as a body, my own class Avould be more prosperous, and far more happy, in being more diffused over the country, and attaining steadily but surely the realization of their desires, by settling down,, and permanently working tho numerous streams and spots which Otago, with a golden bounty, offers to their choice. Her wealth, far and near, is everywhere scattered, and such ay ill bs the ultimate result. The sooner this is arrived at the better it will be for a large portion of the miners themselves, for the community, and all interests at large. But I am rambling, and yet I must ramble still on for a short time longer. These explanations are neeessaiy, as, without them, perhaps my future communications might be misunderstood, or, rather, they might not otherwise be so clearly intelligible. I often hear it said that the Victorian miner, with his prejudices, and his convictions, about leads and likely looking spots, is a bad m'ner for this province; that he does almost as much harm as good; that it is impossible to convince him that Otago is not Victoria. Much of this is sheer bosh. ' I have said before that the very nature of mining here is prospecting, and, who more indefatigable than the man who has lived for years by his pick and shovel ? Faults he has; he will rush away on the merest whisper of a new rush; he does not much care to prospect very much near homo, especially if lie bus done anything, but he still remains a prospector in every sense of the Avord—if not at home, elsewhere. It is a subject of coin plaint that a large number confine tlieir operations to old ground, but force of circumstances has much to do with this. Those who are more free are engaged prospecting or in cutting those sluices and races which Avill soon produce a good effect. A large number are now thus employed, bin though it may be impossible to induce the man who is apparently content with old ground to prospect the hills and land slips around him, still when the short days are gone, and the weather more settled, all those places Avill receive attention, and many no doubt prove productive. At present it is the great object to hold your own, and be ready for spring ; and one feeling, I can vouch for, i-s prevalent amongst the miners—that much ground that cannot be touched now will then be worked. It is not altogether an easy matter to get wash-dirt -down a slippery bii! to the water, neither is it the most pleasant Aveather for moving and entering into new operations. As the. Avinter passes .way the results and experience gained Avill not be lost, but ultimately be a great advantage, and the time is not far distant when avc shall see confidence revive, and trade in a more stable and sound condition.