THE DUNSTAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 521, 21 August 1863, Page 9 (Supplement)

THE DUNSTAN.

LOSS OF LIFE FROM THE SEVERITY OF THE WEATHER.

FIVE HUNDRED MEN SNOWED-UP.

(pfiOM OUR OWN CORKESPONJXEKT.)

Dunitai), 14 U Augus!;.

A heavy fall of snow has taken place thsse last few days among the ranges, but little has fail n in the township or on the ;.;unstan frat. On the Old Man and'thtf Knobby Sange*, ibhas beau very haavy. On Wednesday afternoon, the appearance of the ranges from the Mauuheiika township was an .thing but inviting for a journey either in the direction of the Teviot or Campbell's. luring a snow-storm, the appearance of the mountains is very peculiar: for although there may be nothing more than a slightly mizzling or drifting rain or sleet in tli3 valleys below, such, is not the case at a higher altitude. No mistake can be made as to what is gokig- on up there. A dense black sort of "dropping cloud" hangs like a "funeral pall" over tlieir summits,--which now and then, as the lower ed^e is driven slightly away by the wind, or the sun i gleams through between the opening.*, displaying the i mantle of suow enveloping the peaked tops and pinnacles like the turretted roof of some ancient old abbey or castle. When viewed from a distance, especially if the wind is high, and Uiere is a strongdrift, it looks as if the whole mountain summits were on firs, and waves of silvery flame spreading over the whole faca of ths towering range, as far as ■ the eye can penetrate, or the dense foggy clouds of | falliug snow will permit it to reach. Then those •whose path may lay beyond these hills know that to afctemnt to cross would be useless, and that certain destruction would befall those who might be exposed to the storm, for generally during- the prevalence of a snow storm a dense fog prevails and the drifting snow is far worse tha-ti-thut which is falling, and with the fierce wind prevailing in those bleak regions, the keen biting cold penetrates to the very marrow of your bones^ despite whatefibrts you might make to keep wairo. In ail other cases a man. may keep himself perfectly warm by walking, especially if carrying a swag; but in one of those severe gales'nothing like animal heat can be long maintained, and nature must succumb to its influence. The track is completely obliterated, and no matter how recently the party preceding you, may have passed along, all traces of his foutsteps are removed, and the surface of the snow.is as smooth as a table. The only knowledge you may have of the "path "is by a peculiar' tread of the snow which is, somewhat hardened by being trod down ; but this is a very dangerous experiment and mast never be attempted without a thorough knowledge of your position, as, through the 'abatnre of timber on the ranges, such a sameness prevails that it is very difficu t at all times to define the exact locality, let you be ever so well acquainted, with lie road. Those who have not made, a journey, across any of the great ranges during the prevalence of severe weather, I should not re ommend to make a tiial, it may look all very romantic on paper, but the real idea of the thing can only be known by experience, one journey acrosy the Old Jlan Hanges irom. the Manuherikia to Campbell's Creek, Though not quite twenty miles being, in my estimation anything but a tup of pleasure requiring repetition. CAMPBELL'S, : There ere now about 500 people at work here, but an exact esuiu.ite of the number canuot be obtained on account of the scattered nature of the workings which lire all in very deep gullies a good distance apart from eacli other. . This place is about twenty miles distance fivnv the Manuherikia township, and fourteen from the Teviot, the road from either place is anything but a good one, but if anything the latter :is preferable; in i.oth cases all goods must ba packed. ' On "account of the ss-veri'y of the weather a number of people have tenVporariiy left the diggings and betaken themselves to a residence in ti largs fore-t o'' fine timber, some sor six miles distance, till such time as the weather modeiates. Where ihe ground is workable, it is in "very deep and narrow gullies, where the snow, does not penetrate to binder mining operations. The linking is from 5 to 17 feet in depth, but not much of the latter, v-11 the the dirt is w.-ished by tliiieino:, a stream of water running down the centre of all the gullies, and timber, for boxes ca be got in the adjoining forest. The gold is of a very rough nature, quite different from that (.btaine.l on the Moljneux; it exaV'tiy resembles thai: obtained in the Bendigo or Castlemaiae districts—io is equally o< as nuggetty description, but a little darker in'color. The prices obiainsd for this gold by the miners do not appsar to give ■ genera! satisfaction, they considering th'i.tit is iiiu'ch more valuable 'lian the fine gold of ihe rivers. This is not a very desirable place for living this time of the year, the depth of some of the gullies being so great ih;;.t the sun is scarcely seen more than two hours during ihe (iav, ond its genial warmth not felt for more than-half, that time, firewood, in the shapp. of small scrub, is obtainable about two milss off from the present workings, but is oftentimes difficult to find, on account of it beiug covered up in snow; and to obtain sufficient long grass for bedding, it is necessary to clear a large space with the shovel, and let it be exuosedafew hour*, to' the sun, when the grass can be cut perfectly dry; for although ths ground niay be feet deep in snow'in p!ac;S, cut of the shadow of"the surrounding hills, it i< pretty warm ■when the sun shines although, not melting ths snow although not melting the snow, which reflects the heat toi a very great degree. Sometimes during bad weather provisions beccme very scarce, and a journey breast high through the snow has to be made, of en times to find the storekeeper ha? entirely cleared cut his shop, and who has been wailing some ,days for the packers who may bs all detained at the gorge on the opposite side oi' the Old Man Range, unable to cross by circumstances I have previously 'described. At the present time I r.m sorry to say such is the case, and great fears are en'ertained for ths .safety of several parties who ought to hava tnvned \tp ere this. Provisions, when obtainable are very moderate, the oniy audition to the Bunstan prices being 6d perlb fo~ packing- Several parties-I know have been compelled to#iTpp!emer>.ttheirlarder,by eating the root of a loug description of spear grass, k::own as " wild Irishman." (I may as well remark that for purposes of safely, it is ahva••«' nece=s?a<y to keep a standing -stock uf- at least 100 pounds of flour in the tent) which root mui'h resembles a parsnip, and is something like that of a description of reed, which grows upon .;the .'-bores of lakes Albert and ■Alexsindrin-i, in South Australia, and is there eaten by the.'natives. It is very sweet in taste, and r'r quires to be p>it into boil— . ing w.iter lor a couple of minutes to niak? it palateable; if. may be eaten without, tut this is the b st pian.'Ot prep vcauon; .the root then can be easily scraped and the cooking completed by biking in the ashes ; too great a useoftbi- edible should not be made at first, as it produces a lyxiiy of the sy.-'tem. From the crown of the ro^.t, fjr some three inches up, tinleaver or blajess are very good eating; tl'cy much re- , eemble celery, and re beautifully bleached. There is also another plant here of a culinary description known us Marri cabbage; it is a species of " dosk," aad grows upon the banks of rivers and creeks ; it is much used by t'le miners on the lower pars of the . MolyHi nx, but on account of its laxative qualities should be eiit-n vviili caution. With r<sp_cctothe other plant iUs really good food. The condition of some i. be wild pigs will plainly testify to its nutritious fluaiities. MJfcSUHEBIKIA. On Tuesday ev.^u-g, upon the arrival of the Danediii coach, ivther an amusing and ludicrous | circum-tasice occune.l. A well known watchmaker in the upoer street, who claims the Vatc-rland as the plice of l\is birth, bad ma-ie a trip to themetrop Us, not believing in the efficacy of Mr Stratford's, the Ilc-gisu-m-'s. system, who does the yib m a presio maker fiv tha small charge of five slubings, preferred going to town and having the nuptial knot tied there The arrival of himself and spouse bsu;g expccte.l, all the tin cases nnd sundry othe.-instruments .of diM-ordimt sound were preSHed into service, instead of driving; down to the Royal Mail Hotel, the usual stopping p'a-m, Carter, the driver, puae.l up opposi;e tbe residence of the brid? and bridegroom, battheserftruuiersw-reiiottobe so easily done, they fluickiy maie a rush, and arriving before tae »• Aoode of Love,'' ihe band struck up by no m:ans a melodiow; tune, nor would they be silenced ; and as a p»ace-o*i'<?ring to the bachelorhood of the Mauuhe- ' rii-.ia th? b.-klesroom opened the bar of the lioyal Mai- Hotel ire;-'for au hour, and the il Benet'ict" was allowed to letniiia undisturbed in the society of his ! blooming bride. CORONEiI'3 INQUEST. SSTPPOS2D JIUKDEE. ■The immest held at the Shamrock Hotel by Jackson Keikleli; tf«q., R- &I-, ™ thebjdy of a man, name unknown, who was found floating down the Jtoiyueux iiiver oa the afternoon of Monday last,

the ]Oth insi ant. A jury of twenty-four were sworn, Mr Henry Kennedy being d <h;d foivman. After being swv> n. they po cexled to view the b >dy, -which vr is lyia j iv a i out-houae at the rear of some pvemsssii sh vi -'hstai.ce froinihj hotel. It was placed ia a shell aw litin^ Ji j holding of the inquest previous to buiial. The fta'uves wore not distorted, and wilh oxcepion of the scalp b~>it g torn o3 the skull anil pome cuts about the head, tlure was nothing whoever extraor- mary about its appeara-ce bvoii-': thab of a dt.\w;ieJ in »■. Tau body h.d probably been in tin' water .some ie-.v days, and must Jiave travelled s m-dis ;iu?odownth river O'Uingir. contact with recks a:id satKbn.ks, h;d, no duubr, b en tsetaus; oi the loss of th-j scalp, when found, the h'.ad was co-va-ed with *un± Just before commencing tin inquest, a drunken fellow iv a most uub^.oming and ofte:i?ive manner a:dres?ei ths Cron^r and i- fused to leavo, upon v.hiuh Mr K<;dd«ll very properly hail him removed in ca txiy ot ths police, to await in durance vile t.li-:--return of his sober senses. George Giiyaor sworn, said, I am a constable of police stationed at- the Manuherikia Township. As I Was walking along ths e::st bank of the Molyueux I'.iver, ahouD 3 oVloek on ihs afterno n of the 10th instant, 1 saw the body of a man floating down the stream. I procured the asvistance of some boatmen, and the body was brought to land. I went to the Camp and gave information, and the b-i-'-y was removed to where it now lies, by my directions. The body was quite naked, and had numerous marks or wounds upon different parts of the head, and one on Ihe upper part of the light shoulder; aiso, there was a small cut on the lower part of the abdomen. The boay was not much decomposed. I have no knowledge of who the deceased; might have been ; no one was reported in my district as musing. By the 3?o eman: My direction was not called to the body bains in tli3 river. I saw it myself, aud h.d it rescued from the water. Jacob I'aulsen, miner, being sworn, deposed: I reside about tlnee milts \ip the Alanuherika River from the Junction. I have seen the body in question —if it is that of the man i mean, i believe it to ba that of a countryman < f mine, from the south of Germany, named Uorctzigen. I can n.;t swear that it is his'body. 1 saw him about Christmas last for tuclirst time; it was at the Cardroua Ke wa< working there in company with four mates, all Germans. * I next saw him at the upper tovrnsbip, he was then settling- up with his mates. He then left again for the Carurona with two others. When I again saw him it was there. He might have been there borne 4 or 5 .weeks when I left the Cirdrona.. This was some 6or 8 weeks ago. I cannot positively swear, but believe it to be ihe body of Goctzigen. 1 know it irom Us general appearance. It was the latter part of April when I saw him last. When at the Dunstan he lived in his tent. Ido not know if he had any money; he was possessed of a horse when he settled up with his mates. They had not much gold to divideBy Mr Jack : He lived in Ms own tent when at the Dunstan. Dr Anderson, a duly qualified medical practitioner sworn, said : I reside at the Manuherikiai i made a post mortem examination of the body. I examined the viscera. Death was not the result of drowning-. The organs were perfectly healthy. The scalp was r removed from oft the top of the skull. There was a circular fracture on the front poition of the frontal line of the skull about the size of a twoshilling piece. There were two other frac--1 tures "extending from this to the back of the skull, extending along the whole of the base. There were fourteen'incised wounds on the features. The wounds are very recent, but could not say whether infiictad before or after death. They must have been inflicted before the body eaine into the water. There was aiso a jagged wound on the upper portion of the , penis—probably the result of a kick. The fracture on tha skull would cause instant death. lam positive the cause of death was not by drowning. The fracture on the skuil must have been iisfiieteu with a hammer. A hammer-headed tomahawk would have inflicted all the wounds. Those on the features were made by some slurp catling instrument. The deceased could not have i flicted the wounds liimseif. The removal of tiie scalp was by the friction of the water asting upan the wounds .during the time tha body was in the river. I cannot swear how long the body might have been immersed ;. probably about 9 days or a fortnight. The water of the Molyneux has peculiar preservative properties'. In a cold, runningl stream decomposition would not be so rapid as in stagnant water, I can positively swear that death was not caused by drowning. John Lords, M. D., deposed : I made an external examination of the body, by order of the Coroner. Was not presmt atthe j]os£ mortem, but from what I know of Dr Anderson I am satisfied it was properly [ performed. The fracture on the right side of the rontal bone of the skull would have caused instantaneous death. ' The body might have been ten days or a fortnight in the water. Cold water and a runing stream would preserve a bo'-'y for a long time. The deceased might have been about 80 years of age, round featured and of florid complexion. The jury after retiring for a few minutes returned a verdict, of •' wilful murder'1 against some person or persons unknown. No mails arrive 1 yesterday either from Dunstan or Tuap-ha. The fall of snow has been very heavy. The escort takes down 47i.4 oz 5 dwts, later iv trie evening, when the amount was made up, about 701) czs were added. Dunstan, August 17th. I send you a synopsis of news via Tuapeka: Tha mail for there leaves to-day, but it's getting through is doubtful. The Dunedin coach, which should have been in on Saturday last, has not arrived yet; from accounts brought in, there is very little doubt that communication with Duaediu is cat off for the present. Very serious apprehensions are entertained f.-r (he safety of the people at Campbell's; provisions are known to be very scar je; about a w.eek'» supply is_ all that is known to be on the ground, and communication with the people there entirely cut off, either by way of the Teviot or Duustan. A great effort will be made to reibve them. Many parties who hive their mates there are determined to do something to succour them, 3tt the task be ever so great. The bare thought of betwren 500 aud a 1000 men without food isf-itrful to contemplate. Several parties were brought into the Manuherikia Township during Saturday and Sunday, suffering from the effects of frost-bite. One man, who was admitted iato the Dunstan Hospital, will be compelled to lose one of hh legs, there is not the least doubt bub that a great number of people hava lost their lives. An inquest was held at the Teviot Junction, on Saturday, by Mr Warden Robinson,- on toe body of Alexander Henry, who died from the effects of cold on the Pomahawk Ranges. It appears that the deceased and another man were employed digging their way down the side of the Range, whea the cutting they had n?ade suddenly closed in, and they were unable to extricate 1 thenis lve°. A verdict accordingly was returned. The police have gua-3 out to find the other boiy. Several packers who were on f;e Ranga oa Wednesday last were compelled, when the storm came oa. to throw off their loads and eseaps oa the horses' backs. Another packer who left ihe Flagstaff for the Tiiviot on the same day has not been heard of At the present there is a slight thaw in that direction. The mail from Tuapeka. due Thursday last, arrived at noon on Sunday. Mr llhod s, Rowley's macager, who brought it iv, gives the following account of the delay. The boy who usual-:y rider- the mail, left the township of Laurence at the usual hour on Wednesday morning, but previous to that the snow had been falling very fast; he arrived at the Flagstaff Accoi moiktion House, tea miles out, at tea o'ekek ;at that, timo the snow storm was raging with great fury, and himself, wilh a number of packers and ot:,er travellers, had «iv«n up the idea of travelling further, they deeming it ur^ate to proceed. Mr Uardiner, the proprietor of Gardiner's station, was ninong the number, being so near his home (only nine miles distant), resolved about noon to rnuke an eHbrfc to reach it, He started accordingly, the ma-l-boy keeping him company. They rea<hod the Beaumont Kiver in safety, and only having four more miles to go. made sure thoy could accomplish that small journey, especially as it was daylight, and Mr Gardiner having snah a thorough knowledge of the surrounding country ; thyHiecsfefu'ly asciivei the Dev.l's Ba>'k B.ne, but from that all trace of ;he rov.l was obliterated, the snow poles having b en removed by some vaiscreaiita for firewood. They so-n lost their way, and did not roach the si'itioa till noon the following day, being 21 hours' expo-ed to th-j fury of the storm. When ihey reached the station they were fearfully exhausted, being compelled to keep moving the whole night, for ha 1 they onse laid down, they never would have risen more. Mr Gardiner suffered severely, and is confined to his chamber in eonsequeu.ee. The poor boy also was very bad. and had it not baen for the prompt assistance rendered him by the people at. the station, would have lost the use of his limbs. The l\d, who is about 15 years of age, and c-mes from Sydney, r- .8. W., behaved during this trying ordeil, with the greatest galiantry, ovei coming difficulties whe-i men of inatuie age were compelled to succumb, and to his courage must be attributed the safety of the mail. A very promising quartz reef has been discovered in a gully about two miles above Stoney Crek, on ihe Shotover river. I The Moljneux is still going down. A number of parties have commenced working ou the banks, many doing remarkably well. The lignite seam has been successfully reached, coals are now being raised.. i