Seekers of Gold Who Tramped Colony.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19255, 17 December 1930, Page 7 (Supplement)

Seekers of Gold Who Tramped Colony.

Port Chalmers to Hokitika and Back. Of that band of gold diggers who in the early ’6o’s plied’ their calling on the West Coast there are not many left, but Mr Adam Crawford, who has resided in Temuka for twenty-one years, can lay claim *to being one of them. Speaking of his experiences, Mr Crawford, who is over ninety years Of age, recalled the time in the year 1865 when he, as a young man, left Port Chalmers in the Gothenburg bound for Hokitika. Nearly one-half of the passengers were diggers from Melbourne and other parts of Australia, attracted by the glowing reports of gold finds on the West Coast. After landing at Hokitika, which was a rather perilous

undertaking in those days, Mr Crawford, accompanied by three companions, proceeded up the Hokitika River to a point about two miles inland, armed with their shovels, picks and other impedimenta so necessary to the diggers. Here they started to prospect for gold, but met with no success, as what gold there was in the locality was not in payable quantities. The rush was described by Mr Crawford as a “ wild cat,” reputed to have been started by a storekeeper who had stores 1 aid in beforehand. A shift was then made up the Teremakau River to the Greenstone, and an attempt was made to open up a claim there, but it was among heavy pine timber, and it took an immense amount of work to root out the pine trees before a start could be made at prospecting. However, gold was found which produced about £4 a week, about the wages of a working man in these days. As the 41b loaf 'was 6s, and beef (when procurable) 4s per lb, the did not go far, therefore to save expense recourse was had to shooting wild pigeons and Maori hens to save the meat bill. After a while they got tired of it, and as one of the party had left a registered claim qt Naseby (known as Hogburn at that time) he decided to return to his claim and they sold out. They were seventy miles from Hokitika and it was decided to come overland up the Teiemakau River. Despite heavy rain the Email partv pushed on until they reached the Saddle, but when the accommodation house was reached it was found to be full of men. The miners were wet through and so were their swags, and to maize matters worse they could not be supplied with food or accommodation. There was nothing for it but to set off and follow the Hurunui River, beside which they camped and made what oatmeal was left into porridge. But misfortune still followed in their wake for the bottom fell out of the billy and the porridge was spilt on the shingle bank! The nearest store was on the other side of the river, and by hoisting a blanket on a pole the attention -of the storekeeper was attracted to the four weather-beaten swagsmen. The storekeeper procured a horse and pack saddle and took the whole four safely

across, one at a time. Subsequently a bullock driver took the party across the river again till they got on to the old Nelson-Christchurch Road, and after a ride by bullock dray and coach, the latter for the last thirty miles, the Avon was reached, where wood was obtained to cook their food. At that time the Lyttelton tunnel was just started, and work could have been obtained there, but they decided to go south and work the claim belonging to John Robinson, who was one of the party. After a lapse of six days, a start was made for Central Otago. All the rivers en route had to be forded. They passed through Temuka, but not a house was to be seen. There was an accommodation house near where the Opihi Bridge is now. The claim was reached, camp pitched, and everything got in readiness to work the claim, but “ the best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley.” The following night two feet of snow fell, and as there was no timber in that country and no coal, only scrub, it was found impracticable to start work. Accommodation was found at the Kyeburn Hotel, ten miles away, and while there the weather was atrocious: it snowed and rained for a week, and sluicing was impossible. A waggoner who happened along offered to take the remainder of the party to Dunedin at £2 a head, and the offer was accepted.