CALEDONIAN LEAD.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 172, 18 February 1868, Page 2

CALEDONIAN LEAD.

(from our special correspondent.) I left Westport yesterday morning, according to instructions, for the Caledonian Terrace. I went up by the new track (Scott's, I believe), which is the best, and that Is not saying much for it; for how it is possible for horses carryiug 250 lbs weight to get alowg, I wannot possibly conceive. I paid the moderate sum of os for passing over the track, which in some places is up to the horse's belly in mud and full of stumps and roots as well, and the last quarter mile of the track before reaching the Caledonian Terrace would answer well for a small canoe, wh ch could be worked in the soft mud with advantage to all parties interested in the transport of goods. The first workings I came to is the Poverty Terrace, where some three parties have been working for some months, and until very lately they have had it all to theuisetves, no one interfe.'iug with them. Last week a rush took place, and about 100 men are now as work. There are several tunnels drove into this terrace, and several shafts sunk. One of the parties driving have struck payable go'd iu the tunnel they were putting in,and are now bringing in a water r.ice for washing their dirt. Their claim is not far from their water, and they will have thei • race finished in a short time, when they ex >ect to realise handsome returns. Up to the present time have been no storekeepers, bakers, or butchers nearer than the Caledonan, but there is now a ba'v( r's oven in course of erection. The sink ng on this terrace is from 40 to 100 feit, and is not difficult. Being anxious to get to the Caledonian T. rra.;e I did not go down to the foot of the Terrace where several tunnels and commenced. On arriving at the Caledonian Terrace, I was not a little surprised to see the number of busines s places already up and in course of erection ; there are no less than forty-one places of business, including stores, hotels, butchers' shops, bakers, blacksmiths, restaurants, barbers' shops, &c, hut I am not prepared to say that any of them appeared very busy, and I really cannot see what is to support them all unless more new ground is opened, and a larger number of m'n?rs employed in the neighborhood. The sinking on the Caledonian and Ballarat Terraces is very deep and difficult, and it is certainly no poor-man's diggings. It is of no use in fact for any person to go to Caledonia without fuuds; there is not any shallow ground as yet found payable ; there is no fossicking to be done ; and there is no chance of getti ig employment of any description, and I have no hesitation in saying that it is the worst poor man's diggings I was ever on. The Ballarat Terrace is similar to the Caledonian in many respeots ; the sinking is deep and difficult; the washdirt is the same. There have been several boles bottomed on this Terrace lately, and I believe up to the present time they have all obtained payable gold - Tnere are three distinct leads on this Terrace, on different bottoms, and in one claim the upper lead or run of gold is 40 feet above the lowest or third bottom. There are claims on this terrace that will take at least two years to work out; one tunnel is drove into this terrace 150 feet, and several others nearly on the same distance, and there is one in the Caledonian Trrraee, on the opponito side of the gully, 450

feet long, from which a splendid prospect was obtained-I—one 1 —one of the best yet known on the Caledonian Ter* race. I made inquiry about the reported rush to the Bald Hill, and I find that the report of payable gold having been struck there is not correct. Several parties are and possibly might yet find payable gold, as ifc is as likely a looking terrace as either the Caledonian or the Ballarat Terraces.