THE QUEENSLAND GOLD. FIELDS.

West Coast Times, Issue 689, 9 December 1867, Page 2

THE QUEENSLAND GOLD. FIELDS.

The latest accounts from the goldfield at Gynipie Creek, as published in the "Maryborough Chronicle," in a letter to the editor, from " A Returned Digger," are a 9 follows :—: —

Maryborough, Oct. 29.

Sir — Having just returned from the diggings, and seeing the glowing accounts that appear in the " Chronicle," and hearing the reports that are in circulation throughout the town and district, setting the most part of the population mad with the gold fever, will you permit me to say a few words about the diggings as it now is. When I airived on the diggings a week ago, what was then discovered was confined to two gullies and Nash's Creek. The prospector's claim is on Nash's Creek, and in consequence of that claim being so large, and the gold being confined in such narrow limits — with the exception of about three • other claims — the prospector has all the payable ground on the said creek. ' Then there is St. Ledger's Gully, which is only about four hundred yards in length,where there are about four claims, the holders of which are doing well. Some of the parties in both creek and gully are getting remarkably large finds of gold, principally coarse and nuggetty, which in two instances you may count by the pound. This accounts for the large lots of gold that have been brought in, but strange to say, neither above or below those few claims has gold been obtained in sufficient quantity to pny for the labor. On the other gully, which, I believe, is called Skipper's Gully, there are five or six claims payiug little more than wages. I can safely say that five or six are getting large finds, and about thirty others making wages and no more ; but the gold being found is in such narrow beds, that it will soon be worked out.

On Thursday last there was a new rush about one mile from the diggings, down a creek which is fed from the same range, but on the opposite side from the old camp. The prospector was our worthy townsman, Mr G. A. White ; he had been out for three days when lie found this creek, and after prospecting it from top to bottom, picked out what he considered the best ground for his claim, marked it out, and- then came into Ihe camp. After dinner, Mr White called a few of his acquaintances together and informed them of the spot, that they might get a claim near him ; but they had scarcely made a start when something was suspected, and before they had got far diggers were to be seen running from all directions. The creek runs through a thick scrub, full of vines with long sharp spurs growing out of them, which impeded the passage of not a few. Some of the diggers, in their haste to be first, were caught by those vines and thrown on the next one to them ; others had their arms and faces badly scratched and cut, and nearly covered with blood ; others again with only one leg to their trousers. When the prospector had arrived at his claim, the mob divided; some ran. up the creek and others down, as if for bare life, shouting at the same time " I will take this claim— l will take this claim." In a short time, however, the excitement was over, and all returned to their camp with the intention of trying the new claims on the morrow. At length the morrow canio, and then might have been seen, a number of men wending their way over the ridge to their new claim in. haste, for fear of its being

" jumped,'' but as the day wore on many sad faces were seen, as dish after dish was washed and nothing but the color obtained — and before night it was proclaimed a "duffer" by nearly all on the creek. Only three or four of the claims are payable: the prospector's (Mr White) is only a payable claim — not, as I have heard, half an ounce- to^ the dish, but a fair prospect. By this^ you will see that nearly all the gold that comes down at present is obtained by only a few. When I left, on Saturday night, I believe there were between 200 and 300 people on the ground, and about fifty were to leave on Sunday morning. I passed sixteen on their road down, and against this sixty goir g up. It has been said that all the men on the diggings are " new chums," but there are diggers from almost all the diggings in the colony. Such, however, is this diggings, that a practical digger cannot make them out, for the *' new chum," as he is called, goes to work headlong, and in some instancts finds gold, where a practical digger would not think of looking for it. Now, Sir, I should call it utter madness for a working man to leave his employment and go to a diggings.where there are so many not earning their food, unless they have at least as much, as will support them for three months ; for I believe eventually there will be payable gold found some distance away. But before something is found, those that go with small means will have to return or starve. I have seen a good many diggings before, and have worked at them, and I should say that a man with fair wages is far better off than he would be by going to those diggings, unless something more turns up. — I am, Sir, yours, &c, A Returned Digger.