OUR LYELL LETTER.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1630, 21 January 1879, Page 2

OUR LYELL LETTER.

[FROM OUIt OWN COaitKSPONOE^T.] LTEIi, January 18.

Scarcity of anything like news worth publishing is the reason you have not heard from me lately, However, several small events have occurred since I last wrote which afforded us a little excitement for the time being. In the first place there was the County election, but as you know all about it suffice to say that the Editor of the Lyeil Buster took an active part in it.

The next event which occurred was of far more vital importance, namely, the discovery of the reef in the Alpine Company's low level workings. The reef, when first struck, was about two feet thick, but has since widened out considerably. The stone is said to be the richest ever found at Lyeil, and experts say it will yield at the rate of 21)0z3 to tho ton, but should it give half that amount the shareholders will have cause to congratulate themselves upon possessing one of the richest gold mines in the colony. The Company's pad • docks are now full of quartz, and they only await the arrival of the steel wire for the incline tramway and the completion of the wuterwheel, when crushing will be commenced, and then we expect to see a recoupment to the plucky shareholders for their large outlay in developing the vital industry of the district.

A new line of reef was struck some time back by Mr Richard Shiel, and two leases have been applied for by him, one to be called the Perseveance aud the other the Victory. It is proposed to register them under the Mining Companies Act. The reef is situated between the Alpine Range and New Creek, and is thought to be a continua tion of the Alpine reef. The reef is two feet thick, and can be traced along the surface for a distance of 100 feet. Gold is visible in the stone. It. is impossible to tell of its future development

The other claim? have or are getting out parens of stone ready for crushing The discovery of the limestone cave and subsequent ii.iding of gold therein, (reported in your paper recently) promises to be of some importance. Wishing to test the accuracy of the reports I proceeded to the locality. Leaving the Inangahua Junction 1 proceeded along the Bu'ler road towards VVesSport tor a distance of 2f-'miles the track then strikes into the bush about a quarter of a mile on the Westport side of the luaagahua County boundary and leads along a sideling, gradually ascending, a distauce of about three quarters of a mile, which is comparatively easy travelling. From this point the remnant of that great physical power, which, according to the Darwinian theory, has been transmitted by the great sauriasis, jour ancestors, is necessary, to continue the journey, as the roughly cut track leads along a series of steep sideiings and jutting crags that would delight the heart of one of the Clan Alpine Calling to our aid the Scotch proverb, •' A stout heart for a steep brae," we continue our journey, dodging under or scrambling over logs, and eluding the unfriendly embraces oi those enemies to progress, the law vers After travelling upward another half mile wo reached the too, and found ourselves on a flat terrace or plateau, intersected with blind gullies which drain the terraces in rainy weather. Placing ourselves under the guidence of Mr Thomas Goad, one of the discover ers of the c:ive, we descended through a hole in the limestone rock by the aid of a ladder constructed of saplings for ab >ut 10 feet, when we arrived at ibe bottom of tha cave. It is about 10 feet wide and varies in height from 7 feet to 30 feet. The first claim -belongs to Messrs Coad and Curtis, the original discoverers of the cave. The washdirt, which varies iu thickness, lias en the floor and is found in crevices and rocky ledges of the caver,-), and is covered with a coating of lime, which gives it the appearance of frozen morter. Pro. ceediug alone; a narrow passage for a distance oi 2CO feet we come to Messrs Curtis and Cales. This claim raos along the passage 200 feet, and is intersected with numerous feeders or holes running into it. Descending more ladders we arrive at lower ieveis, and the journey to Messrs Deilow and Jenning's claim has to be made by squeezing your body behind jutting rocks and scrambling down steep inclines. Tin's party's claim is the last marked off, and is considered the best. It is situated at the end of the cavern. A light in this cavern has a most beautiful effect, the floor and walls being coated with chrystaiised lime, which flashes and glistens u;jun being lighted up like the abode of some genii king. The cave throughout is about '7OO feet long and varies in height from 7 feet to 10 feet. There are miniature domes or spires throughout the cavern, from which hang stalactites of chrystalised lime, varying in design, from the most delicate network to spires 14 feet lon& ascending to the upper

regions. After partaking of soma tea and damper we proceeded home.

Several lawsuits have taken place between the claitliholder an .1 one of the children of (*ad, who was locit* d in the neighborhood before the rush set ia.

The report in your paper that tho youug Waires had discovered the cavern is a fabrication, as the discoverers are Messrs Coad and Curtis, who had to cut away the surface to effect an entrance. Heaps Jof bones, supposed to be Moas", have been discovered in another hole, some distance away from Golden Cave, (which is the name it was christened in real Mountain Daw,) The great draw back is want of water and a good track cut to it, and as it is supposed to be situated in the Buller County, the Council ought to lay cut a few pouuds in cutting a bush track to unable the miners to get provisions up. At the same time it will be the means of locating a population there and eneourago the vital industry of the ilistrict. gold mining. There were 14 men on the ground, and all jifaye claims marked cut