THROUGH THE WANGAPEKA WITH A GEOLOGIST.

Colonist, Volume XXXI, Issue 5232, 5 June 1888, Page 3

THROUGH THE WANGAPEKA WITH A GEOLOGIST.

(Contimied). BLUE CREEK.

Culliford's claim was the most celebrated of those on the Blue Creek, but several others were taken up, and much work was done. A working partner in one of these claims told us that he did not know what the rock was through which he had then to drive, but that it was about the hardest he ever had to tackle. Other men who have had to drive through hard chert will sympathise with my friend, and more particularly in that his labors met with no reward. At the time that j operations were carried on at these claims I Blue Creek was a busy place. Two or three batteries were erected, or at all events, conveyed to the field, but the sound of the stampers scarcely startled the solitude. Ascending the spur on which the Culliford's mine and other claims were situated, one reaches by dint of hard climbing, the scene of the operations on what was known as Doran's reef, but these old workings are more easily reached by way of Nuggety Creek, to which I will refer presently, Blue Creek flows down from Mount Owen through limestone country, and I had heard that silver had been discovered in situ in this locality, so I made all the enquiries I could, though 1 had not sufficient particulars as to where the discovery had been made to visit and see with my own eyes. Subsequently, however, I learnt more than when at the place, and I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the facts related. It seems then that a couple of lodes, or more properly speaking, leaders, have been discovered, and that they occur in the sandstone close to where it joins the limestone. These leaders are of quartz, only a few inches in breadth, and the quartz carries galena and mtmdio in shoots and bunches. In one of theae leaders there is in the middle of the vein of quartz a shoot of galena, widening out in places and then contracting again to a mere thread, but in tbe other leader the ore occurs in bunches six or eight inohes long and about two inohes wide. Where discovered the ore does not appear to be rich, so that this discovery cannot be said to be very encouraging, but judicious prospecting may lead to more promising discoveries. That want of sucoess so far should not have a discourging effect is however evident from the fact that specimens of silver ore have been found in the Rolling river, whioh yielded by analysis equal to as much as 200 ozs of silver and 12 ozs of gold to the ton. If a vein of such ore could be found, it would not need to be more than a few inches thiok to prove highly payable. Such a fact should be an incentive to further prospecting, and I sincerely wish that the hardy, plucky men who go out and suffer all the discomforts ©f life in these remote valleys will meet with such success as will reward them for the privations they are forced to undergo, but that many a one will only meet with disappointment will scarcely deter others in the searoh for precious metals. Whilst referring to silver and galena, I may mention that specimens of the latter are frequently met with in the wash in Connor's Creek, and specimens of silver ore have been found in Nuggety Creek, above Blue Creek Junction, so that there is a wide field open for the searcher.

NUGGETY CBEEK,

After crossing Blue Creek, at the mouth of which there is a nice little flat that would make a splendid machine sight, we find an old track leading to Doran's reef workings. We ascended this creek for about a mile by means of this overgrown track, when we faced the hillside and struggled through the bush, having a very steep climb. On the way we saw some blocks of quartz, and had a look at them, but on reaching the No 2 drive we made a more particular examination. The quartz here was of the same description as that found at the Owen. Pyrites was visible in the stone but we saw no gold, although we overhauled the quartz that remained in the paddock. We learnt that from this mine only some two tons of quartz were crushed, and this after a battery had been purchased at considerable cost, hauled up into this locality so difficult of access at great expense, and then erected. What a deal of money has been wasted on our mineral fields by tco much haste. In how many places have houses and machinery been erected, raoes and other works carried out at tremendous expense before the ground has been sufficiently tested. If half the amount thus wasted had been spent on prospecting with pick and powder I firmly believe that not only would some money have been saved, but that payable discoveries would have been made. As ie is, in many oases no useful result has been attained, for sufficient work has not even been done to prove that the find, be it lode or reef, is valueless, and consequently there is danger either that a good thing may be lost, or a bad one again command attention when , further money may be expended upon it with no more final result. Having seen " Dorans' reef," we descended the hill again and and searched for the Donkey reef, but were unsuccessful in finding itj We then visited " Batchelor's workings," and-saw some likely lookiDg quartz, but evidently it was not a reef that had been discovered there. Descending to the river, we made our way up the creek some little distance, and a more lovely plaoe it would be difficult to find. In most places the rocks were as irregular walls of varying heights confining the stream, whilst |from above where the rock banks descend almost perpendicularly, steep hills towered on either side. There was a profusion of vegetation everywhere—trees, shrubs, ferns, mosses, lichens. In one place a tree had fallen, or been felled, Bcross the stream, but some 40 feet above it. On either hand were moss covered rocky walls, and here and there were brighter tints. There was nothing gaudy in the whole picture, not even the gay plumage of birds, but there was perfect harmony in the tints which ranged from the sombre color of the distant bush to the warmer tones of some of the shrubs close by. Overhead' the sky of brightest blue was flecked with fleecy clouds, and from the tree which spanned the gorge more graoefully than ever bridge of man's design, hung pendant masses of delicate fern fronds. Beneath, the stream sparkled where it embraced brown rocks and then tarried in placid pools to seize their picture and reflect baok the beauties whioh surrounded it. No camera could reproduce the scene, and no painter oould do it justice. It is well perhaps that it is so, for otherwise one would lose the full reward that is gained by seeking out the chaste secluded beauties hidden and imprisoned amongst these great hills Making our way up the stream we came upon some soft looking quartz, whioh we traced across the bed of the stream and into the rocks on the opposite hank; Apparently it had never been tested, though its appearance waa encouraging. After a further search about ue we started to return to our camp, and had to deoline ;the generous hos-

pitality of one or two of the diggers whose huts we passed. We subsequently made a furthur examination of the rooks lower down the Rolling river, but the predominating rock is an intensely hard grey cherty sandstone, with which dark blue slates alternate, the latter frequently highly charged with pyrites. The cherty rooks seem everywhere to be embedded with and to enclose masses of quartz, some of these masses being of considerable size. There is ample in this valley to interest one for a summer holiday, and an amateur geologist might bring back specimens | the showing of which to his friends would be a lasting source of pleasure. Since my return I have been shown several specimens which came from the locality we visited, and amongst these a piece of white crystaline quartz with beautiful green mottling, due to the presence of silicate of copper, whil.it an uninteresting looking piece of stone, though | noticeable on account of its weight, is impure sheelite or tungstate of lime in quartz. After our excursions in the valley of the Rolling river we had plenty to talk over rciund the camp fire. Reviewing our experienced,dttritig our journey through the Wangapeti bjir thoughts reverted to the oppressive soli* tude where our camp had been pitched at the Karamea Saddle, and we felt convinced that no one will ever make as long a .stay there as we did. At the Saddle there is little of animate life. A few kakas may be heard and seen, while two or three sociable robins and little wrens used to share our tent and burn their feet on alighting too close to the fire. These and a solitary woodhen comprised all the birds we saw, though from their calls at night kiwis were plentiful. The solitude in which these abide bids fair in a very short time to be as much isolated as ever it was, for the capital track to the spot cannot be expected to continue passable after many winters, and it will soarcely be re-opened after it has once fallen into decay. Had the members of the local bodies possessed any knowledge of the locality they would surely not have carried the track where it is. A much shorter and better track to the Karamea is possible, and beyond the region of the coal rocks there is not much to attract the digger, then too as the track has not been continued beyond the saddle and down the Karamea, the upper part of it is comparatively valueless. Had the track been taken up the Left Hand Branoh, however, it would have been of much greater service. I do not profess to be in a position to state whether a grade oould have been got up tbe Left Hand Branoh and over into the Mokihinui, but I think it very likely, and if so, the traok might also have opened the way into the Karamea and into the Matiri, but at all events it would have been a great boon to the few diggers who have found some gold in the Left Hand Branch, the valley of which, as I have before said, has the appearance of being very much more open than the upper part of the Wangapeka proper, and of carrying some good bush. To explore that branch at the present time, however, would require a good deal of time and hardihood.

OUB EETURN. After a short stay at the Rolling river, we once more loaded the pack-horse, and then set off to walk down to Chandler's Accommodation House, where we arrived about three in the afternoon, and having first been welcomed by the dogs, were soon made comfortable by the host and hostess. In a very short time we were doing justice to what we voted the nicest chops we had ever tasted, and some three hours later our appetites had not been co far blunted that we were unable to appreciate the chickens which our hostess placed upon the table. I can only speak in the highest praise of the kindness and consideration extended towards us by Mr and Mrs Chandler, and I am sure that all reasonable people who may feel disposed to visit the Wangapeka will have cause to appreciate the efforts made to study their comfort. Before closing this account of a very pleasant trip, I wish to thank the diggers and settlers whom we met for the information which they so readily gave, and for tho courtesies they so kindly extended towards us. I also owe a deep debt to my companion for his able assistance, and for his having made our trip a thoroughly enjoyable one to

Tour Contbibutob.