OTAGO TO PERU

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14001, 6 September 1907, Page 6

OTAGO TO PERU

ADVENTURES OF OTAGO MINERS. ; ;• ' (FnoM : . ; Oira Own iOoerksposdent.) LONDON, July 26. ' Rather more than a year ago Mr D, Gibson,. accompanied by Mr Campbell/ left, the gbklfields bound for Peru. On arrival at Valparaiso, they stayed thero for a "fortnight, 'and made good use of tlio time. Just 12 days before the disastrous earthquake they : left for Arctjuipa, a very 'ancient' town situated at an altitude of 7500 f- up the Andc«. It was on arrival there that -tho news of the terrible earthquake reached tliem. Then they wont further inland to Tuapata. (12,700 ft), and after a few days' rest they took mules and crossed right, over the Andes at an altitude' of 16,800 ft. The train and mule journey on' the west side of the Andes was' chiefly through barren country, but as soon as they crossed the pass vegetation was seen-'in every direction.

■ After five, days' travel by mule Messrs Gibson-anti'Campbell reached thelnambari River in 6afety, and were surprised to find that the pontoons of the dredge were just launched and ■.there was 110 machinery oil board.at .all; .thus, for seven.months there was practically nothing for them to do. To make matters worse, the dredge was built'in tho wrong place, and the New Zealanders made an attempt to movo lier' dowir stream 35 miles before sho had any' machinery on board except the winch and boiler," but, unfortunately, tliey became wrecked, nnd,'thafc settled their nine months' pleasant stay; in .Peru, During their sojourn in Peru Mr Gibson saw a tremendous landslip, the whole side of. a hill some 10,000 ft in height coming tearing down. The New Zealanders themselves had a narrow escape, for they were only about 300- yards from the spot. They have come to' the conclusion, 'that the Liambari. Rivor is very rich, but that it was madness, trying to dredge tho particular part where they were, although lower down there are many miles of good dredgeablo ground. Being close to the Santo Domingo gold mine—one of the richcst in the world— they paid it a visit, and were shown over the mino by the manager; the output is often over lOOoz to the ton, but-, of course, the working expenses are great. Peru is indeed a wonderful country, Mr Gihson says, and lie .was sorry to come away; but as there was nothing more to do the company paid the passage of himself and Mr Campbell to London. They passed through ruined Valparaiso, and travelled to -Liver- ■ pool via Monte Video, Santos, Bio, Bahia, Pernambuco, St. Vincent, Lisbon, Corunna, ami La. Pallice by the s.s. Oriana.

London was reached early this month, and now the visitors are • busy sightseeing and theatre-going. Mr Gibson has accepted an appointment from a French' dredging company, whose interests lie in West Africa. On August 4 Mr Gibson will leave for Paris, staying there for a fortnight on his way to enter, upon his new duties.