RAMBLES THROUGH THE GOLD FIELDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 554, 12 July 1862, Page 8

RAMBLES THROUGH THE GOLD FIELDS.

IV. Uy a Victorian Miner ov 1851. In this communication I am going to give the results of a rather long and Vide ramble. Unfortunately no map of the province will faithfully show the country I am about to describe, and the absence of such a map is not very creditable to Otago. I have searched Dunedin, and found them either on so small a scale, or so defective in giving names to localities, that a reference to them is almost useless. The want of a good geological survey of the province, somewhat similar to that of Victoria, is a matter of urgent necessity and the highest importance. The gold fields of Otago are more than a year old, and beyond a map in the Mining Department, and that only partially colored, and very detective in names, nothing exists by which we could show the stranger ,the resources of the land we live in. In seeking for separation, a map of this kind b most indispensable, and to parties engaged in prospecting it is of great value. The Government has acknowledged the value of the gold fields of Otago by compensating Mr. Gabriel Reid, but except a spasmodic start now and then, they otherwise seem to be ignored altogether. It would also seem that a false step has been made in the recognition of the value of these discoveries, and that every effort is being made to retrace it, ou the part of our governing classes. Let it be so ' or not, it looks very like it ; and I, a mere rambling miner, will tell them a fact or two they are perhaps not aware of. Those rough fellows, whose exterior is so uninviting, but whose common sense and shrewdness is so inexplicable to the uninitiated, are fully alive to their position, and have watched with derision the total disregard paid to the mining interest. They have waited patiently, made allowances for the difficulties inherent upon a total change of circumstances, but now they are disappointed at the results. Time has been given, every allowance made, the opportunity has been lost. It can be regained, but the suspicion of false motives cannot be blotted out. I tell the executive power of this province, that the treatment the mining community has received at their hands is a subject of daily discussion. At the claim, during " smoke oh," or on the arrival of the visiter it is a general topic; in the miner's tent, it is over and over again discussed; at the sluice, the bar of the hotel,it is ahva3 # s brought up and ' turned over" iti its various aspects. Ask the storekeeper or the publican, what is the most common topic, after the usual enquiries, and they will tell you that Separation, or an appeal to the Governor, is a subject being deeply considered. From the policy pursued it has mixed itself up with every question, on every grievance. Agitation— public meetings, are viewed as the end to obtain redress, and it has already been proposed to send a deputation to Auckland. Had Sir George Grey visited Otago, I think the Executive of this province would have had cause to open their eyes. Arrangements were made to call his attention to facts that might prove extremely disagreeable to the " powers that be," but the cloud has not blown away, it is still there "such as a mnn'fl band," but " looming in the future," pregnant with commotion and difficulties. Fine weather and the return of the miners will prove bow perfect is the organization, and the reverb' ration will be felt on the English shore. It will perhaps tell more than any other {lung in favour of Separation. I am perfectly certain the discussion of these unpleasant circumstances is not confined to Otago, that in Victoria it is not lost sight of, that even there an ever extending knowledge of the requirements of this place is going on amon rr S t the very class " who will and do." Before the end of December, meetings, deputations will be the order of the day if the present state of thiugs is suffered to continue. Agitation will be fruitful, and whore is the hand preserved to guide the helm to a useful purpose? Let a selfish, graspinsr. policy still be pursued, and discord will follow as assuredly as a period of prosperity follows that of dulness and inaction. I have uttered my predictions, as I did in January, and it Avill be worth observing, if the presentiments of July are equally as truly realised in December. Watch and see.

As is my wont, I have rambled away from my subject ; but T will return to a more pleasant and cheering topic. lam goinp; to travel over a vast gold field— a field we may all find pride in — one that will repay the labor of thousands, and I trust make many a happy home. Instead of passing from Wetherstone's to Tuapeka and Munroe's, I am going to turn down country and pay a visit to the Waitahuna and Woolshed country. Between Wetherstone's and Waitahuna some amount of auriL'rous ground has been opened with the usual conflicting results of payable and not payable, or at least declared so. The time, however, is not so remote when these doubts will be solved, and we shall reach a more defined limit of what is payable or not ; but, from the indications everywhere found, and the returns of several district? — though small workings— shows that a large amount of ground yet remains to be worked, and that time will connect these two well known fields. Thus we reach Waitahuna, the place described and said to be nearly worked out, but the real truth is in the opposite conclusion. This place is yet only in its infancy, and Waitahuna proper will be the centre of a very extensive area of auriferous country of a mot>t promising kind. I do not say that the same amount of payable ground, returning the same handsome yields obtained at its first opening is to be found in its immediate vicinity, but it docs contain a large extent of sluicing ground, and opportunities for individual parties of miners not so engaged. lam confident of this, and time will show whether this strong assertion is right or wrong, and to that trial, having a lull faith in the ultimate result, I am happy to leave it. Towards Lake Waihola plenty of room exists for several Waitahunas, and everything points out that a valuable field exists in that direction. It is , hardly touched, and seems to have been entirely overlooked, though the ground is very promising. The most extensive - operations on Waitahuna ia a race nine miles long, though

the actual distance does not exceed three miles from whence the water is brought, "and the proprietors are now sluicing Maori Gully, with, I learn, very favorable results, and tk^ have any extent of ground for the next few years. The enterprise is deserving of it, and the example will lead to other similar ones, with benefit alike to the district and those engaged. Looking at the fact that so many of the gullies will pay to re-work this way, and that the points of the hills can also be washed down by the same agency, I cannot help being sanguine of the future prosperity of this district, and look upon it as one of the most rising of our gold fields. Surrounded by any amount of likely looking ground, tried and proved in numerous places, this gold field cannot fail to advance onward and largely contribute to the wealth and advancement of Otago. Whether the flat will pay to resluice at present, from its being so much worked and "mulloched," and also rather deep is [doubtful. It is being tried, but the operation" are not sufficiently extensive to decide properly. The want of a good fall is also a drawback, and for the present I think other parts of the place offer far greater inducements. As a rule, the condition of the miner is more prosperous here than general imagined. Most are making wages,, which is a great thing to say under the present disadvantageous circumstances, and many are doing very well. For general prosperity, and for soundness of business, Waitahuna holds a first-clas3 position. She has passed well through her heaviest trial, — the loss of population. The minimum has been reached, and henceforth a steady, though not perhaps brilliant career, is before her residents. I have spoken of the country around Waitahuna, and it would require a wise man to define the limits of its auriferous nature. Turn to the Woolshed, to the Waipori. Every prospect is held out of all three joining, but more especially with the latter. It is in a part of this extensive tract that tho reported gold fields of Mr. Handford's exist, and of which I shall have a word or two to saj r when I come to this part of my subject ; but having already exceeded my limits, I must leave a description of this valuable section of the country to my next, finding it impossible to incorporate it as I intended in this article.

PritiTES and Gold.— The loss of gold in combination •« ith other substances must be very large ; but, unfortunately, there are practical difficulties in separating the pj rites, and extracting the auriferous particles, which remain to be overcome. Last year, Messrs. Clarke and Sons offered to purchase auriferous pyrites by assay, but we have not heard whether the announcement answered the expectations of the advertisers. In general, little care is taken by our millowners of the pyrites left in the shaking-tables, or in the covers ; but it would be as easy to save as to throw away the sulphurets. Eventually they are certain to become too valuable to be neglected, and it is impossible to say how soon that m'ny prove to be case. 'The attention of our scientific men has long been directed to the subject,, and success is only a question of time. Some of them even belieye that the larger portion of the gold crop of this country will hereafter be found in thepyrites, instead of in the free state.— Mount Alexander Mail, June 20.

Difficulties ov Wardens in Giprs Land. — " A warden stuck-up would be the appropriate" title to the following anecdote. A short time ago, we are informcl that Mr. Warden Cordon, in riding 1 over some of the precipitous ranges in the Jamieson district, bad to pass round one range by a narrow road abou ' four feet wide, where ie was impossible to turn his horse, when In was met by a cow and a calf coining in the opposite direction. After an hour and a-half's contemplation of each other, the maternal quadruped turned, and she ami her offspring retreated and left the path clear, to be followed at discretion. — .. I ri/us.

Highway RoßnEitY.— 'A daring case of highway robbery has been committed on the high road at Boggy Creek, near Kyneton. About half-past nine o'clock on Wednesday night last, a carrier named Edward Youncr, who was driving a waggon and four horses, was stopped on his way to Castlemaine by three men. One ot the robbers stopped the horses, another pulled Young off his seat, and threw him on the road, and then tho second and third robbers searched their victim, and forcibly dispossessed him of £07. None of the robbers are yet taken. — Argus.

The Foundation of anew theatre, to be called The Theatre Royal, ha 3 been laid at Daylesford. — Bnllarat Star.

Chinese Success.— Wo learn that eighteen celestials have, in Yankee phrase, " mode tracks" homeward to the flo ivory land within the last few daya, having, as is supposed, achieved the object for which they favored us with their presence— a handsome fortune. —Ovens Advertiser, June 21.

Attkmi'T at Fire-kaisincj, — Yesterday morning, about halt-past four o'clock, an attempt was made by an incendiary to set fii eto the Avoca Hotel, Avoca. It appears th.it two fires were kindled, one close to the woodwork of the stables adjoining the premises, and another in a passage leading from the bar to the concert room. Shortly after the fires were lighted a miner fortunately passed by, and observed a volume of smoke and fire contiguous to the stable 3. Having alarmed tlic inmates of the bouse, Mr. Pearson, the landlord. ti«sioted by several others, extinguished the flames before they had spread b;, i 3'ond a few of the weatherboards of which the stables are composed, aud thus prevented the firs from spreading. We are further informed that Dr. Morris is in custody on suspicion of being the incendiary, and that yesterday he was brought before the Bench, who adjourned the fuither he iring of the case until Saturday next. It is currently reported that the Bench fixed the bail at £2,000. At the time of the attempt there were twenty-four persons sleeping in the house, many of whcoe lives would doubtless hare been sacrificed had the fire spread throughout the building. — Talbot Leader, June 24.

Tnu Daylesford SiAßiutra Cash.— Considerable escitemonb was created in Dayle3ford on Monday morning; by a report that one Italian liml, on the previous night, assassinated another with a knife, at theOid Rmccouvs, and the report is unfortunately cm eeb, An inquest was held on the body on Monday, before James Daly, Esq., the coroner. The first witness examined was Oriacomo Lefranclii, a shopkeeper, residing at the Old Racecourse, who deposed — About nine o'clock on Sunday (the previous) night, there were three or four incn at ray house, and among them wore Luoi Lefranclii (the deceased) anil Chudini, who with a man named Zanoli ha I a quarrel. It was~R9 this quarrel ay as going on that the deceased came in He and Chudini came towards me, and the deceased said, "I nm stabbed." Chudini then ran away, and Lefvanchi said, "My breath is going out.'' My wife was present at the time. Whpn Lefranchi and Chudini came towards the counter, Lefranclii said, " Look out ; he has got a knife." Shortly afterwards I saw deceased fall, and Chudini ran away. I saw that deceased was wounded when Dr. Selby arrived. Fedili Lcfranchi, mme I.',1 .', deposed, that as high words were passing between Zaneli's and Chudini, the deceased tried to pacify both. Chndini said to him, "Do you take Zaneli's part." Lefranclii said, " I tnke no one's part ; I will take my own part."' Lefranclii was standing by the window, aud Ciuulini wont and caught him by the hair. \T itness tried to keep Chudini from Lefranchi, aud saw Chudiui draw something from his breast and strike Leiranehi in the chest. A man named Belleni waa there, and -was assisting Chudini at the time, by striking Lefranclii. While Chudini held him by tha hair, lie held Lefranchi by the arm, and struck hini several times with his fist. Lefranchi fell in about two minutes after Chudini struck him on the breast. Lefranclii baid. " Look, look, he has got the knife j and I am stabbed. I call you all to witness." Ho said, " I am dying, my breath is going." Maria Lefranchi deposed to bavin? seen ChuJini stab the deceased with a knife or stiletto. Dr. Selby, who made the pos'-morteiA examination, found about two inches under his left breast an iuei.--.ed wound, about an inch wide, and three and a-!ia!f inches deep. The wound penetrated into the left ventricle of the hear, lolling upwards, and towards the aorta, which was severed. The wound was necessarily fatal, and appeared to have been inflicted by a long knife or dagger. Other Swiiiesses were examined, bub their testimony disclosed no new features of the case. The jury found— "That the deceased was wilfully murdered by Chudini, alias Corda Bartholomew, at the Old Racecourse, on the night of Sunday, the 22nd June, 186*2, by being stabbed." — Dwjhsford Express.

Boiling Down of Horsks.— Talk of the nobility of the horse ! why we lenrn from reliable autho-. rity that Mr. Atkinson, of Sophiekburg, has taken n contract to boil down 2000 horses. There is no sale for those animals, and the ownsr want* to sell their oil, hides, an . hoofs, and thus get as much for them as possible. The fate of Dibdin's high-mettled racer was illustrious compared with the ignoble doom which awaits the iiorso stock of the interior. The wild charger of Australia's turning plains may well envy the European donkey his thistle.— lllawaira Express. Mrs Partington is always saying something odd. Now she says if she could once see the day when she owned a house surrounded by colonie, placed in a gardin with turpentine walks, tenninanting in an otto of rocks, she could die happy.