OUR GOLD-FIELDS.

Colonist, Volume VI, Issue 599, 21 July 1863, Page 3

OUR GOLD-FIELDS.

THE BULLER.

[from our correspondent.]

Buller River, West Coast, July 6.

MAN FOUND DHOWUED IN THE BULLEB. There has been another death by drowning here, and perhaps by publishing it in your paper it may be of use in discovering some relative or friend who may be anxiously looking for news from the missing one. On the 26th June five white men found the body of a man in the Buller River about four miles below the Lyell Creek. He was about five feet ten inches in height, about 12 stone weight, 35 or 36 years of age, dark complexion, black bushy whiskers; had on a monkey jacket, dungaree trousers outside, tweed trousers inside, a woman's cambric pocket-handkerchief round his waist, blucher pegged boots; in his pockets was found a pocket-knife, a comb, and about half-a-pound of shot. All the pockets had been buttoned up close as if the deceased had been trying to ford a river or creek. No person of this description having left the Lyell Creek, the deceased is supposed to be one of an overland party from Nelson who has been drowned in trying to cross some tributary of the Buller River. The body was buried on the banks of the Buller by the party who found it.

We have had some very bad weather here lately. The cutter Thames was lying outside the Buller for ten days, the Necromancer over three weeks, and the Dove lost all her cattle but one before she came in the Buller, —that one is since dead. Mr. Levien, the master, and Mr. Waite are the only losers by that unfortunate event. Those vessels were helped in by the ferry-boat, which unfortunately got broke helping the Necromancer in. Without the aid of the Government boat which is used here as a ferry-boat, the vessels might have been outside much longer, and the passengers all famished for want of water. The boat was used three weeks before the vessels got in for fetching the passengers ashore, but only Mr. Blake availed himself of the opportunity. At the same time water was sent on board, and a second visit with water was afterwards paid to the Necromancer which was found badly off for both water and bread. I sincerely hope the proper authorities will see the necessity of having a good boat here—one capable of going over the bar to receive persons in cases of necessity.

Nearly all the Maoris have left the diggings until spring. They are busy building a large house to receive a great number of Maoris who are expected in the fine weather. The men working on the Buller Road are also anxiously waiting for fine and more settled weather to try their luck on the diggings once more.

On Sunday the sth instant we experienced the heaviest freshet ever known on the Buller; canoes and boats, white men and Maoris in them were sailing all over the flat. The water was running through the houses knee deep. Casks, timber, and other things were floating up and down all over the township in most admired confusion. In Blake's, Martin's, and Eoger's stores there were three feet of water, but not much damage was done to the stores or their contents. Of these, of all kinds we have a good supply at the present. The freshet has widened the mouth of the Buller River considerably.

The Dove and the Necromancer both went on shore in the river, but will be got off without damage.