LETTERS FROM MELBOURNE AND THE DIGGINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 81, 4 December 1852, Page 4

LETTERS FROM MELBOURNE AND THE DIGGINGS.

The following extracts of letters from parties who recently left New Zealand for the Diggings are taken the first from the ' ' Ly ttelton Times," and the two latter from the Wellington " Spectator." As we understand that none of the parties writing know each other, the accounts they give may be relied upon as impartial, and pretty correct : —

The Tory arrived at Melbourne on the 27th Sept., after a passage of 18 days from Wellington. A passenger from this Settlement writes — " Melbourne is in a state of the greatest confusion imaginable ; the streets are crowded with drays, carts, and people, passing and repassing in thousands to and from the diggings. Large vessels are arriving daily from England with hundreds of people. One large vessel with 800 passengers made the passage in 63 days ; another with about 900 passengers in 80 days, and is now in quarantine, having lost 100 passengers through fever. We have heard that there are 100,000 people at the diggings at the present time and what is to be the state of things by the end of Summer God only knows. Some passengers by the Tory started at once for the diggings, and went about 15 miles, when they returned, disgusted wilh the bad state of the roads, the bad reports of returning diggers, and the prospect of famine before them ; they have made up their minds to return the first opportunity. Since we arrived flour has risen from £30 to £40 per ton. Meat is 6d. per lb. ; bread 7]d. do. ; bacon 2s. do.; potatoes 12s. per cwt. ; eggs 6d. each ; sugar and tea reasonable. Gold is still plentiful at the diggings, but there are thousands who don't clear their expenses, while others make fortunes in a few weeks. The passage in the steamer from the ship to Melbourne is 45. ; if you have a box, 5s for freight and wharfage, and 6s. for carting it to the store, and Is. Gd. per week for storage. Every thing must be paid in advance ; every meal you take costs 2s. at the lowest, and 2s. for a bed ; a horse costs for stabling 12s. per night provided with hay only. Carriage to the diggings. £6 per cwt. We hear of robberies and murders, but nothing daunts us, as we console ourselves by hoping that a bad beginning will end well. Notwithstanding the high rate of wages every body seems inclined for the diggings rather than work in town."

" We left Fuller's Inn, Melbourne, about four o'clock p.m., on our way for the diggings, and proceeding about six miles, encamped for the night : our company consisted of seven. Started next morning and reached a creek called the Kuber ; there was hundreds crossing in a flat-bottomed punt, each having to pay one shilling. Here we had breakfast. Our route now lay across plains full of water, until we came to the bush, when we brought up because of firewood. Next day we made a place by name Bush Run, which is noted for bushrangers, being the commencement of the Black Forest where most of the robberies have been committed : we got through it in the day, being about 13 miles, which gave us enough to do, the road being beyond description. Some of our party got stuck in the mud, and were obliged to be assisted out ; numbers of horses and bullocks had got in it and there died ; we saw a great many dead on the road. The drays are getting £100 per ton ; and so they ought, for I would not undertake to drive one for £200 on such roads. We reached Mile Creek by night, slept about a mile on the Melbourne side, as it is not well to stop at such places ; the night before a man was shot there, so we deemed it most prudent to bush it. About ten o'clock two men came up to our tents, four in number, on horseback, which caused an alarm; we always had sentries to keep watch all night ; our guests left us at daylight in the morning ; we started again and reached within two miles of Forest Creek ; we made Mount Alexander on Monday morning, fixed our tent and had a look round about, thought there was not much doing, and the deep sinkings we did not like, besides there was a great deal of water, as it rained hard, so next day we started for Bendigo. We arrived on Wednesday evening, being about 35 miles, and pitched our tent in Golden Gully ; thought we might sink a hole, as there was a rush to this place, there being a very large nugget found here of 28 lbs. ; but when we got up to look around they were stuck in as thick as bees— such a sight of dig-

gers I never saw before. However the next day we went and got our license, and began to work ; James Houghton sank one hole and I sank another, his proving a blank ; in mine there was a little, but nothing worth speaking of; but little as it was, it encouraged me. I sank another, but not a speck ; the third one I sank I took a little out, but not worth driving for. However we sank twelve holes and only got one ounce of gold : these holes are from six to fourteen feet deep. We left this, and are now working in the Bendigo Creek : our party are 10 in number : we have taken a portion of the Creek, and got a grant from the Commissioner, so that no person can come upon our claim without our permission. We first cut a drain some distance from the river, and turn the water, having a drain at the head ; we then dip out the water until we get at the stuff in the bed of it. We began this last Monday, and have kept three and four cradles going. On Saturday we had about 14 oz. of gold between us : it does not turn out so well as we expected, but when we get off the loose stuff, we shall sink down to the rock, which we hope will pay us. Gold is worth £3 4s. the ounce, at Bendigo, so you see we have not done much yet, and there are hundreds like us. There are numbers returning from the diggings disgusted, and hundreds are walking about with their picks on their backs, not knowing where to go or what to do ; some have been sinking until they are tired, and if there are no new diggings found out, I think it will be bad with thousands. I would not advise any one to come at present whilst things are in such a state, though many are still doing well. William Hunt was out prospecting all last week and trying to 'find out some new diggings, as there was a report of such ; but he and his party fell in with a gulley in which they think there is gold, and are going to try it. lam afraid those parties going to Wellington from here will draw many away who will repent coming. Amidst all this I am not out of heart : I shall weather it until Christmas if possible, and shall work as hard as I can, so as to give it a fair trial. Our living is mutton and damper, and we are all well at present."

Bendigo, September 6, 1852,

" There is plenty of gold obtained here every day by diggers. The newspapers would lead you to expect so much, but the immense numbers engaged in the work are forgotten. It may be probably supposed that only one of a hundred is able to pay his own expenses. A great many are obliged to leave the diggings from want of money, and only a very few are found to do well. You may labour here for three months without ever seeing gold as the produce of your own toil, and you may secure some on the first day of your efforts ; but such good luck is rare. One reason of this diversity is, that the gold runs very irregularly under the surface. It appears indifferently at a depth varying from four to twentytwo feet. To exemplify this circumstance, I may mention the case of a Belfast man who was digging so closely that only a foot's breadth might be between us. He took 90 lbs. weight out of his hole > and I got only 1 dwt. An another instance — a man found a 48 lb. nugget of gold. The country here is crowded with people. Stealing and murder are the common occurrences of every night. The fighting beats all that I ever saw. For my part I would not advise any one to come at this time. If a good hole is discovered, it must be watched every night. I have done very little hitherto, but I am still in hopes ; and I am determined to make a spoon or spoil a horn before I leave the diggings. Butter here is ss. per lb., flour from £12 to £15 per 200 lbs. weight, tobacco from 10s. to 12s. per lb., and all other things in the same proportion. Shepherds have high wages : they get from £60 to £100 per annum, and with difficulty the demand is supplied at that rate."