THE WANGAPEKA.

Colonist, Volume VI, Issue 597, 14 July 1863, Page 7

THE WANGAPEKA.

The party comprising J. Thornton, and J. M. Diarmid, whose reports of prospecting in the Upper Wangapeka and the Karamea we published on 20th ultimo, returned to town last night with still further accounts of successful working on the Wangapeka. The two men left for that river about four weeks ago, and have brought back a very fair amount of gold, averaging a yield of from £15 to £20 per week for each man. Their opinion of the field is of course still higher than it was on their last visit, experience under considerable difficulties having satisfied them of its thoroughly paying qualities. Both men are experienced Victorian and Otago diggers, having been miners for. many years, ana their opinion, particularly that

of Thornton, is worth a good deal, more especially when backed by the good returns .wnich their four weeks' working has produced Among the gold they t>ring are- two nuggets, which wehaveseen, slightly impregnated Mth quartz, one, weighing close on2ozs. and the other about 3 ozs. These are the largest the miners; have iaken; but the character of the gold being generally coarse, and the* appearance of the whole terrace decidedly auriferous, they declare their opinion to be that a large gold district exists where they ' hate been prospecting, although their trials have been necessary limited. So satisfied are they with their claim, that they would not have left it just now, had it not been that there was great difficulty in obtaining provisions. The nearest store is ten miles from the place, and for some time previous to their leaving it was very short of supplies. A store has been opened by Messrs. Green and Co: within the past week, and there is now a full supply of all kinds of provisions at moderate rates.

Moreover, and what is of no less importance,! there is a road forming at present within four miles of the place where they were working, and within a month or six weeks the Government road parties will have a good road cut all the way up to, and beyond this spot, so that passage along the whole route will be easy and simple. The men report that Government is re-making the roads on this side of Fawcett's Point, where such is necessary, and cutting new roads on the route to that point, so as to shorten the distance traversed by the old tracks.

The character of the district where this gold has been found, is terrace and beach, extending about 14 miles from the Boiling Biver to the Wangapeka, and thence eight or ten miles further to the saddle of the Karamea. ;It is oh the bea.cK below this terrace wliere the gold just reported has been found. The, terrace was tried by sinking, but this was jiot continued through the scarcity of provisions above referred to, which however will no longer exist. The men still speak favorably of tie Karamea, and intend once more prospecting that district, not being: satisfied with their previous attempt which they found not payable, "We believe thait in Mr, Bochfort's road party on the Karamea is a digger who is prospecting as they go along, so that probably we may soon have a semi-official report on the character of the Karamea district.—Colonist, June 23.