HAMILTON'S.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 912, 22 November 1864, Page 5

HAMILTON'S.

(from our own correspondent.)

17 th November, 18G4

The new rush to the Gunnerburn on the Rough Ridge, during the latter part of last and the early part of this week, " set everyone by the ears," and nothing was to be seen but the usual rush of mounted diggers and storekeepers, and plenty on foot en route for the diggings. Horseflesh was at a premium, and such a thing as a saddle was not to be had all through the township. Almost all the wages men under employment by the large sluicing companies " made tracks"—and indeed many of the shareholders too. Many a ease ot jumping might have happened, but that is generally " tabooed" by the more respectable class of miners. Hamilton's was in fact in a thorough state of collapse, and would have been noil est in a few days, so taken with the fever. Your own correspondent thought he'd see if lie could get a claim too, and had a trip there, the results of which will be found in a few notes under the proper heading. A change has, once more, come o'er the spirit of our dream, and the noraade tribo are once more striking their tents, and making for their old quarters—having roamed o'er many miles and seen many faces, and still the old Hamilton's, or Eight- mile, is more to their taste. »

As mentioned as likely in my letter of the 7th, the sluicing companies on the hill have had splendid w>ishings-up during the past week. The United Company must have the pas accorded them as the largest gold producers on the hill workings ; their out-turn on Saturdaj' having been, for the four weeks' work, twenty-six pounds weight, or 315 ounces. This is what may be called a wash-ing-up ; among 12 shareholders at least L2O a week. The share mentioned in a former communication as having been sold for LI 80 cash, was re-sold by the purchaser for L2OO, he having a share already. The claimholders are sanguine that in not many weeks they will have as good a washing again, The Lagoon Company had a yield of 121oz for the five weeks ; and were they independent as regards water, none of the companies on the hill would make better wages. The yield among five shareholders is a return for labor by no means to be despised, it being about sixteen pounds clear during the time abovementioned,

While all the rushing about has been taking place a little quiet prospecting has been done here, and the result was shown to-day in the grant of a prospecting, or rather encouragment, claim to a man named John Kerr, the locality being within one mile and a half of the township. The situation is in the main creek, and the water supply is abundant, as all the tail water from the ground sluices on the hill flows down the creek. The depth of sinking is about from two-and-a-half to six feet, with about twelve inches of wash dirt, averaging in yield from half to three grains to the dish. The situation, and all about it, leads me to the belief that it is more suited for profitable washing by the sluice box than cradling ; but that ground sluicing jwill pay well, as the fall is excellent. Here no one will have disputes about water supply, and the choking of claims with tailings. This evening, several holes were bottomed, but with what results I know not: on the morrow I will have a full look round, and know whether it is any good or not. Many have taken up claims in the ground, and wonder at their want of sense in not having spent a few hours prospecting around ; indeed I wonder how this gully was missed at all. The Warden, on granting the claim, saw a prospect from the claim washed up, and the out-turn was about two to two-and-a-half grains, which would amply pay for work even with the cradle. I do not think many rich finds will be found, but a kind of poor man's diggings of limitad extent is a settled thing.

The Cornish Company's tail race is now lowered, and the water race from the Capburn Creek in. They have now quite enough water for all purposes. Duffy's race has had difficulties to encounter this week past, the ■wages-men having mostly'left, but they are now coming back again.

Several accidents of a serious nature have taken place these last few days. One of the original Hamilton prospectors here, living across the main creek, had a narrow escape on Tuesday evening from being burnt to death, his face and hands being much burnt, and in fact he was sleeping all through the fire. Another man, when going to the new rush by way of the Pigburn, missedliis footing on the range and came down, putting his ancle out and lacerating the sinews considerably, his leg being black as coal from the extravasated blood. Frank Molloy was unfortunate enough to break his leg on Monday night behind Lynch and Co.'s store, and in fact Dr Doppoly has not had so much to do for a long time in the way of broken bones, &c. Weather for the last four or five days has been very wet and inclement but is, now line again.

Gunneruurn Rush.—l made, in company with a friend, an excursion this week to these diggings, and certainly had quite enough of the truly named Hough Kidge. After managing to escape smothering in the many swamps in the Maniototo Plain, I made the spur on the north side of the Stotburn Greek, about a mile from the ruined hut on the run of the Messrs Murison and the old Waikouaiti road. Many perils did I undergo from the peculiarity of my Rosinaute, amid the thousand and one tufts of speargrass; and great was my anxiety, as a fall would not have been to land me on a bed of moss. I now commenced the ascent, and thought to myself it wouldn't be so bad, but sad experience taught me, -that looking lrom the bottom of a hill gradually sloping for about three miles (?) is no criterion, or rather method of judging of the difficulty of mounting, and ere I had gone half an hour up and found the hill was rapidly growing, I had to take consolation in ■• King James's antipathy." A few minute's rest, and I am off again only to turn back and put out the fire I had caused like a thorough townsman ; and after " Parnassus then Helicon," till at last the seemingly interminable hill is ascended and my eyes are gladdened with a view of the distant township. The country now is moderately flat, though several gullies run through or intersect it, and the range at ths other side is the spur the diggers have sunk on. Heaps of red earth meet the eye on all sides, and after crossing several rather nasty boggy creeks, the township is reached, which evidences signs of rapid progress. Along the " mado" hills, parallel with the Rough Ridge, are the claims ; and at the fb.it of the table laud, and IST.E. from the workings, are the stores, the site having been chosen judiciously, running as it does down to the creek unnamud that winds round a high natural hill. The street I found crowded with miners, all seemingly more busy drinking Mr Kelletc's brandy than tackling to work ; and amongst them by no means a minority of racy-tony;ued Pat-landers, all in their glory with their " dhrop of the crathur" beside them. I had from the first no great opinion of the rush, but I saw enough of it the day I CALIFORNIA!* , FLOUR

was there to prove that it would not lastThere was too much loufing or shepherding) but certainly many were waiting for buckets and windlasses. I could not boar of many holes having been sunk with good prospects —some few had—but the majority had not, and, indeed, ninny openly said it would not be anything. The storekeepers were doing a good stroke, brandy and bottled beer bein ? much in demand, and soft stuff no where. Late news informs mo that the miners are leaving in scores, and I think in less than a fortnight there will not be a hundred men on the ground. A water race from Drunken Woman's Creek was abont to be applied for, but I don't think the applicants will proceed in the matter. On tbe whole the Gunnerburn rush, to say the least, has disappointed expectation, none save the prospectors getting anything worth. On all hands the miners are returning whence they came, and many making towards the Serpentine and Long Valley. Many fights have daily taken place, but a very serious row was got up on Tuesday night, and a man named Temperley had his jaw fractured. By the way I might mention that the msh is in a kind of gdebatoable ground, the Warden at Mount Ida claiming it to be his, and the Warden here saying it is his. The dispute (if it can be called so) lies in the undefined position on the maps of the Gunnerburn, but judging from the size of the creek to the north of the township and that to the south, I would say the former was the Gunnerburn, and then the rush would be in the Taieri district, as the creek is the boundary.