CATLIN'S RIVER DISTRICT. XV.—lts AURIFEROUS INDICATIONS,SC

Otago Witness, Issue 928, 11 September 1869, Page 10

CATLIN'S RIVER DISTRICT. XV.— lts AURIFEROUS INDICATIONS,SC

The current opinion is that our auriferous resources in the alluvium have been pretty well explored, and that^ the prospect of fresh discovery lies principally in the direction of deep leads, quartz veins, and what are generally known as the higher branches of mining industry, It is with no intention of impugning that theory that we direct attention to the seaboard, a portion, of the province that has all along been overlooked. The reason of this neglect is not by any means apparent. The first blush of our gold discoveries attracted attention to the interior, and since then the miner has steadily pursued his search in that direction. This is the only reason that can be assigned, and certainly it does not warrant the conclusion that the mineral deposits of the coast are less valuable than those found inland. We say valuable, because the fact has been demonstrated that the rooks and sands of the coast are impregnated with some of the more precious kinds of minerals. Iron sand, for instance, has been found upon the beaches, but whether or not it exists in sufficient quantities to make smelting a payable speculation remains to be proved. The cement boulders at Moeraki are geological specimens of which some proper account has yet to be rendered, and we have information to the effect that amongst the de"briß on the beaohes pearls have been found, which, in the -present- state of the home market, would command a ready sale. It is with the gold, however, that we have more particularly to do, and to its indications and recurrence we shall confine our remarks.

In the review published by Mr Brough Smyth, on the modes of gold in Victoria, the opinion is stated that no natural force is powerful enough to cause gold, distinct from other substances, to travel any perceptible distance, and we are aware that this opinion is shared by some of the more intelligent of our practical miners. This theory, however, is discountenanced by the manner in which it is found distributed throughout this province, more especially along the valley of the Molyneux. The nearer we approach the head streams, the metal becomes the heavier, and presents fewer indications of being water worn. This is its character all through the country drained by the tributaries of Lake Wakatip and the Kawarau river, whereas away from these places it gets from rough to shotty, from shotty to scaly, and from scaly to fine, in proportion to the distance of its removal. So fully is thin eliding ocalo developed that what auriferous deposit has been traced to the ocean beach, is found to be just about as minute as particles of silk dressed flour. We do not mean to imply that tho Wakatip, Shotover, and Arrow districts are the only sources of our auriferous wealth ; still, the run of the gold in Otago points to them as its fountain head. The argument to^ be induced from these observations plainly is, that the finer particles of gold— what are known as gold aands — are carried on by the river currents, until arrested by the counteracting force of the ocean surf, and distributed among the sand in the low lying beaches. This is a process which must have been going on for centuries past, bo that if. properly lookod after, the probabilities are that it would lend to a lucrative* branoh of omploymont. What little has boon done in these localities hns been of a desultory naturo, and consequently it cannot bo accounted a fair criterion of their intrinsic worth. Tho Kartigi beach near Ilnmpdcn has supported a few parties for tho last your or two. Tho ground is said to H poor, still it has boon stuck to, and .considering tltat it is not within tho boundaries of any proclaimed goldfiold a fair amount of work has been dono. At tho mouth of tho Molynoux work upon a | rather more extensive scalo has boon carriod on for aome titno post. At tho dato our reporter visited tho placo tho ground hud boon openod out to tho wator lino, and tho parties wcro working a shallow face, with layorn of block «and resting on a soft slato bottom. Thoy did not complain of tho abaonco of gold, but complained bitterly of their inability to savo it with ordinary appliances. Boing experienced diggers thoy wore not dotorrod by this clrcumatanco, but woro busily engaged constructing apparatus which they expected would obviato tho difficulty under which they laboured. Hinco thon, wo havo rccoivod information that a party from tho sum© placo sot out to prospoct tho boochot and river mouths further nouth. Th« iuooom met with o*n

only be surmised from the fact that they, have made arrangements to' remain upon s6me of these'lbeaches during the summer: The impression' is that they have set in about the Tautuku, and 1 that they contemplate doing a quiet stroke during the ensuing season. At Waikava, afew miles further down, mining has been still more extensively carried on. Of late the' yield is reported to have fallen off ; still, the returns from time to time quoted to us would leave a very fair margin for any temporary reaction. The Toi Tois, on the Southland side of the Mataura,was, some four or five years ago, a diggings of considerable importance, so* that the whole of the southern seaboard may with perfect safety be pronounced auriferous. Stilly it has never been Worked systematically, and no effort id known to have been made' to' ascertain the character of the ground lying inside the' coast-line. Of the amount of digging that has been done at Cat Uns, nothing authentic is known. ' It is said that sometime ago tho beach was Visited by a party of two, who, after turning over a few' patches of sand, abandoned it. , It is questionable whether or not they really were diggers, or merely one of those parties who go about fossicking, and pan off "a dishful of stuff ' here and there as a pastime. No portion of the district presents the appearance of having been prospected, far less mined upon. The cliffs in the vicinity rise to an average height of 270 ft ., and are composed of stratified rock (greenstone porphyritic conglomerates, and f elspathic sandstone) which, from careful observation, is found to dip to the N.E., with an inclination to the horizon of 12 to 20 degrees. At and around the spit, the beach is composed of quartz gravel and sand, marked in many places with heavy streaks of black sand. The quantity of mundic lying in the creeks, especially those which trend in the direction of the rock formation, is something astonishing. Sweet Creek is literally covered with it, but from the extent to which its bed is obstructed with fallen timber, it is quite impossible to examine it closely. Being a tidal stream it is covered with sand, but so far as our informant was able to judge, its natural deposit is a black mould, the dark appearance being ' increased by a heavy admixture of black sand. The mould itself being of a highly saponaceous character, considerable trouble would be experienced in finding the bottom. Indeed, to work this creek effectually it would have to be cut into a face and wrought up from the mouth. Although a deep creek, its banks are well interlaced with roots, so that acacoident from landslip is rendered very improbable. Our reporter explains that he was induced to give the auriferous indications of this creek special attention for the reason that vessels detained from getting over the bar generally anchor opposite its mouth, and specks of gold are very often raised along with their anchors. His efforts to penetrate the bed of the stream for any great distance were frustrated by the heavy accumulation of water, but various dishfuls of the stuff were run off and a fair prospect obtained. In short the ground, to Bay the least of it, is likely, and the Barae opinion may be pronounced of various othor creeks in the place. Vague hints have also been circulated about the existence of a quartz reef in the bush somewhero near to Catlins. As to whether it realty does exist or not, we are not in a position to express a decided opinion. Should the place ever come to be of any great imfjortanco as a digging centre, it will not ack those two essentials to mining prosperity—a plentiful supply of wood and wAter.

Roforring to tho coast south of tho Nuggets, Dr Hector, in the report of his geological survey, says that it must ultimately become a valuablo portion of tho provinco, as it is well auitod for small sottloinonts situated by tho littlo harbours, whioh aro numorous, and around which there aro, as a rule, jjcmml blzocl patches of Hat alluvial land. This prediction remains to bo accomplished, as agricultural sottlomout in tho placo, or in fact aottlomont of any kind, has not an yet boeomo one of iti loading foaturos. Indeed, it is vory questionable vrhothor aqricultu.ro is a branch of settlement which should bo encouraged at Catlins. Tho bush with whioh it is covored is a magnificent ono — ono of tho finoet in tho wholo provinco — and if it is to bo hnmlod ovor to tho tondor morctos of tho agriculturist, its character will soon bo changed, and tts timber reduced to a hoap of aahea. With tho progress and dovolopment of tho colony this timber is bound to become a valuablo article of commorco. Howovor littlo tho circumstanco may bo thought of, tho faot can bo domonstratod that tho bush of this provinco is disappearing at tho rate of a hundred acrcn a year, and that is far from roproaontfng tho oxtent to which it is being donrivod of tho moro vain ablo data of it* timber. Eventually, this wholeaalo destruction will make itself felt in a forcible manner. Tho whole lubject i* ono to whioh publio

attention cannot, bo too earnestly inyitedy and one 'respecting "which steps o^ght to be taken without delay. The agricultural settlement established at Catlins is wholly confined to what is known as the Owake Flat, a piece of clear country in the centre of the bush between Catlins and' the Owake River. It comprises about 2000 acres, and has been taken up by eight settlers. The flat has been all fenced in and about 184 acres broken up. Tho past year's produce was 77 acres of oats, 26 of wheat, and 18 of root crops ; the remainder having been laid down in English grasses. The yield .is estimated as follows : — Oats, 50 bushels to the acre, wheat 40, and root crops 6i tons. The peculiarity of this yield is explained by the fact that it is all virgin soil. There is another flat of similar extent separated from the Owake by a belt of bush, not more , than 80 chains in breadth. It is also clear land, and no portion of it has as yet been settled. The produce finds its way to Duriedin, at a cheap rate; by sailing craft, so that the Catlin's River settler is enabled to compete with producers much nearer to town. The live stock of the diatrict is set down at a hundred of great cattle, including a few horses. The place has only been settled within the last few years, stiU it presents all the appearance of a thriving settlement.