THE DUNSTAN.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 78, 4 August 1863, Page 3

THE DUNSTAN.

IMPROVED PROSPECTS. GOOD ACCOUNTS FROM .THE HOGBURN. (From the Daily Times Correspondent ) Dunstan, 29th June. Since. my last, the waters of the;Molyneux have receded considerably, but not sufficiently to admit of anything in the shape of mining operations being resumed. The effects of this last flood have not been so depressing to the spirits of both the mining and trading community :of the Dunstan as mighl have been expected, as 'all hopes' of the River turning out a profitable source of employment for ihis winter had long since been abandoned ; in fact, many well aide to give an opinion < n the subject, consider that instead of the gold discoveries in the bed of the Molyneux being an advantage, the reverse has been the case. Much capital and labour have been foolishly wasted in calmly watching, the eccentric risings and fallings of the waters. Had it been directed to exploring the mountainous districts in the vicinity during the summer months, when prospecting in these localities could have been carried on with success, instead of decreasing escorts, and trade 'prostrate, both the mining and business community would have been in a flourishing condition ; as itis, 'we have hundreds of diggers who have no earthly property but what they stand up in, and the stream which was to enrich them all at this season of the year, has ruthlessly deprived them of every article they " could not carry on their backs, and in many cases of life itself, for what escaped the last two Hoods, has received a finishing stroke this time ; but as the saving is," it is never so dark as just before'day," and now that misfortune has reached its culminating point, any change must be forthe better; and the dawn of better times, I nm most happy lo say, is gradually opening upon us. Leaving out that perplexing source of trouble ar.d annoyance, the " river," every other description of mining is as promising as could reasonably, at this season oAhe year, be expected. IS'umeious discoveries of pa> able gold fields have been made, but they cannot be worked with profit, on account of the severity of the weather. Scarcely a day passes hut what some few parties or another come into town, giving ocular demonstration of success in ihe neighboring ranges; but have been reluctantly compelled to leave for the present remunerative fields of labor. Everyone is wailing for the spring, when seme of the best rushes that have yet taken place in Otago will be the result. And from personal observation, I have no hesitation in saying that the ensuing summer will witness a much greater yield of gold than has ever been got in this Province. Toevery observing man it is very clear lh.it in this part of the country the richest auriferous deposits have nol, as yet, been reached. The gold that is obtained in the river must be a long way from its matrix for here it is very fine, and must have travelled miles from its original source ; in fact, as it were, we have only as yet been on the tail end of the gold, the main body being in the ranges ; as every sample brought from there is of a very coarse description, averaging from a pennyweight to I oz. pieces. No beder samples of the precious metal have been obtained on Bendigo or Ballarat than what lhave seen] brought in from the Nevis — let alone Campbell's and the Fraser River ; in reality most of ihe gold we have been sending down for the last two months has been from these quarters ; and is not as you generally suppose in Dunedin, the produce of the Molyneux. Centrally situate as the Dunstan is, it must become tlio natural depot, and be the source of supply to a very extensive area of country, and from which all the trade of the mountain districts must radiate. Numbers of the miners in the vicinity of the township have turned for the nonce " wood merchants." During Sunday some fine hauls of timber Were made. Two men living on the river, hut ashortdistance from tlie upper end of Hartley- street, got 111 worth; wliile another party at the Manuherikia obtained logs to the value of L 4-0. If the floods had not brought down a quantity of wood it is impossible to say to what extra inconvenience we should have been put, the supply of coal* being cut off this month past, and not tlie slightest prospect whatever of getting anymore. On Saturday last they were sold for 20s a bag of about one hundred weight, and were brought on packhorses from tlie Bannockburn, but, of course it was not many who could indulge in this luxury. At Gentle Annie Creek the miners are invariably doing well. There are about two hundred people on the ground. The sinking is from four to twelve feet ; in the centre of the gully it i.s very wet, and requires a tail race to carry off the water, hut on the sides of the hills it is quite dry. Un Sunday the Kawarau rose fully fifteen feet higher than on the two previous occasions, and numbers of dwellings that before escaped went ihis time. In a good many cases the miners lost everything and were glad to escape to the high ground with their lives. Hill's bridge was in great danger of being carried away after being secured by strong ropes to large projecting rocks on Ihe banks of the river. About twenty tons o't stone had to be wheeled on to prevent the violent oscillation of tbe structure, and which in a great measure prevented its destruction. The rate of tolls charged is very unsatisfactory, formerly it was sixpence each foot passenger, but lately it has been raised to a shilling, which increase presses very hard on the miners, and considering theiosses they have lately sustained, their complaint is not without cause, especially as many of them are compelled to cross the river to obtain their weekly supplies j of provisions, and then, should darkness j intervene, the fare is increased to eighteen pence. During the afternoon this bridge was the scene of a very serious affray, and which, unfortunately, resulted in one man beiug seriously wounded It appears that j two diggers came up with the intention of crossing, but being sixpence, short of the necessary two shillings, were refused to pass the lodge, when a scrimmage ensued and the tollkeepergqt aserious cut on the head from a long shovel, and i not expected to live. As a good many people were assembled; some esponsed the case of the tollkeepers, while others took up that of the aggressors, and what is generally called a free fight was the result. The man lhat inflicted the' injury escaped in the melee, hut is being sought after by the police, and a strict search was made during the night hut to no effect. ..The Roaring Meg rose 20 feet, completely interrupting the traffic to the Lakes. On Sunday night there were at least 20 packers waiting to cross; and a large cave inthe rocks (known as Walker's Hotel)

had a full complement of quests, pro visions being sliirg across fpora ihe end of a string attached to a long pole, .from, the shanty, on ihe opposite shore. .Mack's stove was flooded; the'- water ming-to the top of the counter. The whole 'of the contents of the building had to;be remQved some distance up Ate hill. THE HOGBURN. ', Mining matters here have considerably improved, the prospects of the diggers being better ! han ever, and the opinion generally expressed that heavy gold.would yet be found in the district, has been fully borne out, by the finding of a heavy deposit in a gully about three miles from the first workings. The sinking is shallow, and the prospects obtained were one, two, and two and a half pennyweights of a splendid sample ofshotly gold, to tbe tin dish. This discovery has, as might be expected, produced considerable excitement, and the miners were leaving the old workings for the new discovery in hundreds on Monday morning. Water is now \ery plentiful, and all are well employed. I have not heard of any very great finds, dut no one need despair of getting something, A large amount of gold is offering for sale, but money to purchase it with is very scarce. A storekeeper — Mr O'Donnell — purchased during Saturday and Sunday, over LIOOO worth of gold, which he brought into the Dunstan on Monday. At Black's, things are also looking-up There are over a 1000 people thereat present, and ihe number is constantly increasing. It is now quite time that this and the Hoglmrn was proclaimed a gold field, the want of a Warden and police protection being much felt, and an escort willjShortly be required. On "Saturday evening last, after the arvival of Cobb's coach at the Dunstan, a rather interesting and exciting race to the Hogburn commenced. ALer obtaining their papers, two rival '* news agents," started off on horseback with a full load, both keeping together as far as Black's, where they stopped for the night, both agreeing to sttrl together the nest morning ; j but still each entertained the opinion that one would try to give the other the slip, consequently both were very watchful ; but as it was, one managed to get ofi" some lime previous to the other, who, upon finding himself done, started off in great haste, and overhauled li is man at the second crossing of the Mai-ulierikia, where he wasstanding on the bank, like " Patience on a monument smiling at Grief," having attempted a passage, but failed. The oilier party being well mounted, dashed into the stream, and reach the opposite bank successfully amid the cheers of the bystanders ; who at the s=ime tin\e, gave derisive groans to the faint-hearted traveller on the other. Of course, this plucky party quickly sped on his way, laughing in his sleeve at his fellow colonist on the wrong side of ihe river, and who could but witness with much chagrin the success of his rival. Of course, I need not say that the first party was eminently successful, having sold out all his papers nnd proceeded some fifteen miles on his re*urn journey when he met the other going in. Several of the rivers and creeks on this mad are in a swollen condition; several persons running great risks of their lives in crossing. As one of the punts, in which were three men, was being hauled across, the foice of the current was such that upon it striking the side of the punt, the water dashed right over, and it began to sink. The men were compelled to save themselves by jumping into ihe river and swimming ashore, which tbey were enabled lo reach through the aid of a long pole held out to them S nee commencing my letter, I hear that three men concerned in the riot on Hill's Bridge, at the Kawarau, on Sunday night, have been arrested by the police.