PEGASUS TINFIELD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8556, 26 July 1889, Page 3

PEGASUS TINFIELD.

(Frosi Our Owx Oorrespoxdknt.) Stbwart's IslaSd, July 20. PBOSPKCTDJG is still going on, chiefly under Mr ConliflV« direotions, he being abl?, 'with the assistance of Messrs Charles Biley and John Dtvyer(twootherTasmanlan experts), to carry on operations in various parts of the field. The last Important diicovery by Mr ConIlffc H-as'made on GOOD ALL'S CLAIM, when a large floater on Being blown up disclosed rich tin, showing the unmistakable presence of a lode In .the immediate vicinity. iuckkb's claim. Prospecting on this important claim has been -completed, two faces having been opened and nlue •hafts sunk, proving tha whole of the ground to be very rich. About 3cwt of tin ora goes orer by ths a s. Despatch on Monday to Invercargill, being the result of two days'sluicing. This makes over 4cwt «ent away by Mr Conliffa from this claim during prospecting. BLACK JIST> SCULLTS CLAIM. Mr Diprose (another Tasmanian expert), the prospector of this alluvial claim, being satlatled with results, went over to see tile holders by the laßt .steamer to confer as to future operations. The tin procured by bim is also of a very good character— orer 2owt being obtained during prospecting. BALL ASD LEWIS' CLAIMS. Mr Oonllfro obtained very good results from these claims on a short prospect. The grouod is situated ■on the slope of the southern, end of the mountain, and has every natural facility for being worked in a payable manner. „. . WADDEfS CLAIM haß been opened up by Mr Busha, a local man, who informs me that the iodicationß are very favourable, ■and that he is sending over by this steamer about aew.t of ore. Tho tin on this, the east, side of the mountain requires a great deal more cleaning—the ' wash abounding in garnets. (SUNDRY'S CLAIM. Gundry has finished prospecting sections near Inc Bea, situated in Baker's Bay (between the port «nd the mouth of the harbour), and I understand is sending to your city a good parcel of tin. He seems satisfied with results, and has removed to two other sections held by bis party further inland, which, judging from outside indications, ought to prove equally good. M'GAW'S OLADt, though a very small one, In the neighbourhood of Hall and Lewis' haß exceedingly good prospects. It was one of the first from which favourable results wera obtained by Mr Conllffe. HEALY AKD WILW CLAIM. A parcel of tin went over from these claims ' the other day, but from a visit mada no idea could be formed of tbe value of the ground, which is situate between Sundry's, Dp the sea, and Black and Scully's, at the south end of tbe Eemarkables, tbe bed of tbe creek being apparently worked up for tha metal, wblch may have travelled from a considerable distance. A shaft sunk on the high cround discloses very high bottom. , LKK'S KKOI) COMPANY, Prospecting Is to commence this week both for lode and alluvial deposit, a largo reef showing above eround for a considerable distance. This ground is ' situate on the west side of the Hemarkables. SMITH'S CLAIM, wbich Is situate immediately to the west of Tucker's, 1b being prospected, and favourable results nre anticipated. . ' BLACK A»t) SMlTfeg CLAIM. A tunnel iB being driven into the southern end of the mountain for the purpose of trying to strike the lode, while similar operations are going on in tbe eastern sldo of the mountain. In HENDERSON'S CLAIM the tunnels run at right angles to one another, and the tapping of the lode by one, or both is looked upon aa a certainty. The holders of these two claims certainly deserve every success, as no expensn is being spared in the undertakings, tbe results of which are being anxiously looked forward to by all parties. . THE TUNNELS, the contracts for wbich have been let respectively to Mr Dujjald Wright and Messrs Xnuckyand James, are being proceeded with in a very satisfactory Manner, the first-named contractor having already - irlvcn In 341t through granite and Bchitt, only about Bifc of which is drive, and tbe last-named having cut en approach 60ft in length through similar material, pivlng a face of 13ft in depth, into which they commence tunneling. This for a fortnight's work, considering the labour in canying tools, &c.,to the workings, is beyond expectations. ABOUT THIRTY CLAIMS

have been prospected up to date by Mr Oonllffe, and about 10 more by other parties, of which only those favourably mentioned above have been found payable. The duffers are not named, and out of four sections montioncd in your ißßue of the 4th inst. as being in the opinion of a gentleman (who was apparently interviewed by the Southland limes) very good, three have been found on prospecting to be perfectly barren and worthless, while the other, though not tested, stands from its position about the same chance of success. f , „ > The public must be wary in dealing with unknown ground. Of course, it is quite possible that the Informant believed himself that the sections were good, but it is tho opinion of ignorant men which has already damaged the field by inducing people to invest where there could be no possible return. TUB THACK necessary for the conveyance to and from the majority of the claims would not be more than three miles in length, and presents no engineering difficulties, notwithstanding which an incomprehensible apathy is shown in the matter by the Government. True, one has been cut the greater part of the way, but we were just as well off before, and it is little or no use without formation. The principal claims mentioned aj»ve will at once be formed into companies so as to work ou an extenßive Bcale. There is no question now as to their creat value, and to the fact tint they have asserted themselves under great difficulties. Yet it seems that the plucky projectors are to be still handicapped for the want of tbis little piece of road, and this too in the face of a large revenue already derived by the Government from the field. ASSAY. Of the tin sent away from the field this time Tucker's will assay by far the best, being almost entirely free from all foreign matter sue]) as garnets, wolfram, tourmaline, &c. When the two latter do occur in the wash they aro generally in large crystals of soz or 601 in weight, and of course come away easily in forking while of the remainder some will be very low indeed, so that 2ewt of ore from one claim may not ba worth on smelting Jcwt from another, and still be payable. THE LODE, which must be of considerable magnitude and of a very rich character, will certainly be discovered in a very short time, the two tunnels at present being driven into the mountain in different directions being almost sure to strike vulnerable ground, while sluicing operations on Tucker's will lay a portion of it bare, pirces of Btone being fouud during irospectißg richly impregnated with tin, and very little water worn. The same indications are found in Waddel'B claim on the other tide, but havng a travelled appearance, while the outcrop on Black and Smith's, and later on Goodall's, all point to the Hemarkables as the source. OTHBK MINERALS, ETC. There is no doubt but that as sluicing operations go on here some rich gold deposits will ba struck, nearly all the prospects containing it small and shotty, where it has travelled fiom at present being a mystery; the presence of copper is also indicated, while now and then some really beautiful sapphires are unearthed. THE WEATHER. Strange to say, has not been of such a character as to seriously interfere wiUi operations considering the season of the year. In fact, if anything water has been scarce fur sluicing operations this last two months for the first time since the field was discovered. Ample rights, however, nxist which can be made available as soon as companteß start on a large scale.

MTSEBS' BEO.OTJpAkffiiTS have been f nlly anticipated by Mr Louis Eodgers, of Inverca'rpili, who, with commendable enterprise, 'oDoaeil a General store here under his own supervision, In whioh anything required on the field either in the shape of working materials, tpolo, or provisions and clothing can be procured without the delay that would be caused by having otherwise to send to the mainland, the field thereby being put a considerable time ahead. COMMUNICATION. to and from the mainland has bean kept up regularly once a fortnight by the s,s, Despatch, a small, but very fast travelling little «teamer. Captain Anglero, wteo ia most obliging and greatly respeoted here, being in command.