THE KARAMEA.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 161, 5 February 1868, Page 2

THE KARAMEA.

{From the Evening Mail of 'the29th tilt.) Baton Biver, Jan 26. Since my last letter, I am happy to be able to report that matters are looking much better in this locality. The weather for the past few days has been as fine as could be wished for, and appears to be now settled, so that diggers and others are now able to work without interruption and appear to be reasonably satisfied with their gains lately. Scarcely a day now passes without fresh arrivals of men, who are bent upon trying their luck in the neighbourhood of the Baton for the present, and ultimately pushing into the Karamea when the track to the saddle is finished. In fact, I may safely say that there are upwards of 80 men employed in gold mining, &c, on the Baton and the different gullies in the vicinity at the present time. Several parties who have been here for the past few weeks, and have got fairly to work, have, during the late fine weather, succeeded beyond their expectations, and are now going to work right merrily. Several really nice little nuggets, weighing on the average 2| pennyweights each, have been found quite near to where the 16 oz. nugget was got. The Baton is now being pretty well prospected, and new ground daily taken up by the late arrivals, but I am inclined to think that as soon as the track to the saddle

is completed, and stores can be taken to the Karamea without the present great difficulties, the bulk of the men now at work in the neighbourhood of the Baton will loose no time in proceeding to this new ground. Several parties of diggers have come in from the Karamea within the past few days. They report that the weather during the time (a month) they were last out, was very wet, and that they had only two days' fine weather in which they were able to work. In a severe storm they had two canoes carried away, and totally lost, the river having risen in one night at least 3© feet. One party in two days work made 2oz 16 dwts. lam happy to be able to say that the men are again gone back without any loss of time, and as the weather appears to be settled for fine, they entertain great hopes of doing something worth while in their next trip.