THE ROGBURN PARKER'S DIGGINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 608, 25 July 1863, Page 8

THE ROGBU RN PARKER'S DIGGINGS.

(?ROM THE DAILY TIME 9 CORRESPONDENT.) July 15th, 1863. This gold-field is now a great fact, established beyond the possibility of doubt. A population of at least 5000 are already located on the spot, while each succeeding day brings an accession of hundreds to the number, and stores, shops, and shantie3 hare been erected with a rapidity which, to those unaccustomed to a gold-field's life, must certainly savor something of the marvellous. Within the short space of ten days, the solitude of the •wilderness has given place to the busy hum of : ctive " life, and despite as inclement weather us it could well be possible to conceive, a city of canvas has sprung into existence. Such is the power of gold. The rush to these diggings, which have been named "Parker's," a fter tiie prospectors, originated under the following circumstances. For some seven weeks, the Messrs. Parker had been prospecting iv this locality with varied success, but still with sufficient to induce them to believe that an extensive and payable gold-field existed in the neighbourhood. They had struck " payable" gold, but being confident that better ground was still to be found, they abstained from making their discovery public ; they were, however, discovered ; and without the slightest foundation, the most absurd reports ■were circulated. Grains were at once, and without the slightest hesitation, magnified to pennyweights, pennyweights to onnces. Gold was to be get even without the trouble of looking for it. Excitement rose to fever height, and the rush at once took place. So startling was the news, and so suddenly was it conveyed, that many on the adjacent diggings at Black's and the Dunstan, v^ho went to bed at night with all their household gods about them, were by daylight tramping through six inches of snow with the whole of their available assets on their backs. That many will be disappointed, I believe ; that numbers will do well, I am certain. Those who come with the expectation of at once making a pile, will be disappointed ; those who are willing to work for remunerative wages, with the chance of a pile, will succeed. The field is not at present a rich one, the average earnings being from 10s to 30s a day ; but there is abundance of ground that will pay, and as the diggings are within easy access of Waikouaiti, and consequently, of Dunedin, with a' good road from the former place, provisions will necessarily be cheap, so that c\ery one can at least make a comfortable living, and be able to put away a pound or two for a rainy day. Scrub for firewood is also to be had on the ground. The present workings are situate on the Hog Burn Creek, M'Master's run, six miles north of the Waikouaiti and Dunstan road, and close to the Ida Mountains, which run nearly due east and west, from the gorge of the Manuherikia, near Mount St. Bethan's, to the Kyeburu diggings, from which latter the present rush is distant about eleven miles. The whole of the intervening country I believe to be auriferous, being composed exclusively of " made" hills, covered on the top with quartz ; and on the sides and at the base with a fine white wash or drift, and intersected by numerous long gullies, or rather dry watercourses, which stretch awaj' southwards towards the Taieri. The depth of sinking is from 1| to 5 feet, with from one to three feet of wash-dirt, which requires no puddling, and yields on an average from six grains to one pennyweight to the bucket. I have heard of much greater yields, but believe them to be very isolated exceptions. The bottom, rvrather false bottom, on which the miaeis me now working, is yellow clay, with here and there broken slate reef, and thickly covered with large quartz boulders. Afew parties have, however, gone through this bottom, and come on a red drift of shingle and gravel mixed, not loose and wet, a3 is usually the case hi this country, but dry and compact, and more closely resembling that found on the goldfields of Victoria than any other I have seen here. In this also gold has been got ; but as no legitimate bottom has as yet been reached, it wouid be impossible to form any conjecture as to the result. The gold found here is on the whole fine, but ahotty, of a good quality, and weighs well. Four or five gullies are now being worked, and payable prospects have also been obtained on the banks or terraces which overhang them — in fact wherever the ground has been tried the result has been much the same, so that I believe I am justified in saying that although, at present not rich, a most important and extensive gold field has been added to the list of those already opened in Oiago. The whole side of the country is admirably adapted for sluicing operations, and I have no doubt that the ensu" ing spring will find a large population profitably engaged hi that branch of mining. Water is -at present scarce on the ground being worked ; there is enough ior cradling, but not for sluicing purposes; itcould however be obtained in sufficient quantities by diverting the course of the " Eweburn" Creek, a thing quite practicable. The diggings are essentially dry.

It would be a great boon to the business people and other residents here, and prevent much annoyance both to them and the authorities hereafter, if a Mining Surveyor were at once sent up to lay out a township, and do whatever work may be necessary for the permanent settlement of the place. The distance from Waikouaiti by the dray track is 76 miles, but a new route* is being marked along a leading spur past liankin's station to the Kyeburu river, which will shorten the distance by 10 miles— it is also a much better road. From the Dunstan the distance is 51 miles. During the first few days of the rush, the miseries experienced by the diggers were of no ordinary kind. The weather, which up to that time had x been beautifully fine, suddenly broke, and snow and rain fell alternately for nearly a week, making the ground a perfect puddle, and. rendering travelling a very laborious task. Provisions, also, were not to be obtained at any price ; and many a man has had to go for 48 hours without food. The first stores that arrived on the ground were sold at fabulous prices ; but as fortunately the roads were in such a condition as enabled drays speedily to come up, things soon resumed their ordinary level. The following may be taken as the prices at present rulin" here:— Bread, 2s 6d per 41b loaf ; flour, 5d per lb; sugar, Is; tea, 4s; coffee, 2s Gd; salt, lOd ; bacon, 3s ; meat, Is 2d to Is 4d.