FURTHER PARTICULARS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 217, 19 August 1862, Page 5

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

We are informed by Mr. Hartley that the diggings are partly on Maclean's and partly on Sheenan's station?, but that no sheep were in the country so far out as where they were working. It is Mr, Hartley's opinion that the great gold-bearing country is further to the westward of the Upper Clutha Valley, but the country being very difficult of access, it will take time to develope it. Messrs. Hartley and Riley found gold wherever they tried— in fact one of them says " that an old woman could scratch more gold out with her fiugcrs than all the miners on the Province could get elsewhere I" Besides the washings on the bars and old river beds, we are informed that there are several extensive flats all the way up which Mr. Hartley considers will turn out excessively rich. They did not try them, for the very sufficient reason that they were doing too well when they were there, to lose time in prospecting. The road via the West Taieri is -most difficult between Campbell Thompson's, and Valpy's stations, a distance of about 35 milea, without; auy stopping place, and a very wild desolate country. Persons unacquainted with the track, would, in the event of a snowstorm, run the risk of being lost aud perishing on the road. Beyond Valpy's we are told the road is not very difficult. The distance from Dunedin to the new diggings may be estimated at about 110 miles, viz :—Dunedin to West Taieri 16 miles, West Taieri to Ilealey's 10 miles, Healey's to Tonpson's 12 miles. Thompson's to Valpy's 35 miles, Valpy's to Muirson's 5 sniius—-"■ at this point, the drayroa I to M-mahsrikia Valleyis struck—following which to Newton's station 14 miles, from Newton's to Lowes* 12 miles, from Lowe's to the Upper Molyneux River, about G miles, above this point the diggings commence.

The diggings are about lit) miles from Waikouaiti. Messrs. Hartley and 11-ley did not wash lower down than within 6 miles'of: the crossingplace, about 6 mile* from L nve's. The road along tho river after leaving the Manuherikia Valley, becomes inaccessible for drays aud is even difficult for pack-horse?.

From what we can gather from tlie discoverers, there seems no doubt but that the whole course of the river, from tiie point at which it was first worked, right up to its source is gold-bearing, and that the flats and rocks in the vicinity are also very rich. It is the opinion of the more experienced ofthe two men, and one who has had a long experience in California: that any miner may make an onnce a day with nothing but a knife and tin dish. The two men have undergone great hardships living for a long time on flour only, and on the way toi)unedin, between Valpy's and Thomson's one of them was compelled to " cave in," and for some time his companion feared he would not hold out the rest of the journey. Their progress through the country has been attended with enormous difficulties, travelling by night when the moon permitted, and being compelled to adopt strict precautions to preserve their secret. A shepherd hailed them one day as they wero working on the river, but they got rid of him by the old tale— "just making tucker." They never worked under .the most unfavorable 'circumstances' without getting two to four ounces a day, but tho steady average of their returns wa3 about 12 oz. Mr. Hartley says that the approaching season will probably be unfavorable for the richest workings in the river, as the melting of the snow will flood the river, but the flats and the high bars will still be available.

At one point on the river the discoverers came across some men working a seam of excellent coal, the men he thinks, were from Fraser's station. They had once occasion to go to the Lindis for provisions, but they dared not repeat the journey for fear of arousing the suspicion of the few miners at work there. Indications of copper were also found in many places on the Manuherikia. One of the miners, who has worked on the Eraser River, says that it cannot compare in richness with the Manuherikia. It is not the intention of the men to secure a prospecting claim on the new diggings, as they state they know where to find other spots equally rich, where they can work away from the rush. In cleaning the gold the men used quicksilver, but they found the process too slow for them, they preferred cleaning it roughly in the cradle, and even allowing a good deal of the gold to escape rather than incur the delay of more careful process. Mr. Hartley is iv raptures with the climate in the district where they have been working. During the whole time they liave been there, the weather has not retarded their operations in the least. He describes the climate as the finest winter climate

he ever experienced. They saw no wiWpigs up there, nor game of any kind, except a" few" wild duck.

We have been careful in making particular inquiries about tho road, and have had the advantage of seeing Mr. Shecnan on the subject, on tlie border of whose rim and that of Mr. M'Lean, the diggings are situated. Mr. Sheenan knows the spot well, and has seen the two men at work, besides one of them having called at the station. When he heard of the eighty-seven pounds weight brought to the Treasury, the idea struck him tbat they might be the same men, and he went to the Government offices yesterday on purpose to sec them, but did not succeed in doing so. Ms. Shecnan tells us that the best road is by Waikouaiti. The West Taieri is nearer, but the road is in an impassable state. The distance from Waikouaiti is about a hundred and ten miles. The road lies by Hamilton and Wain's, and the Cole Creek. The distance from the Lindisis about thirty miles, but the road between them is impassable except to pack horses. For some time to come the Waikouaiti road is likely to be the one most favored. Miners going to the diggings should remember that there are at present no stores in the neighborhood, and that without supplies they may suffer the greatest hardships.