C—l 4

2

At the head of the flat below the mouth of the gorge, on a terrace situated in Mr. Cullen's private property, there are several parties prospecting; but," with one exception, I did not hear of any of these claims being on gold. The claim referred to belongs to Davis and party, who obtained over loz. of gold from the bottom of a hole. This party have fixed up a wire rope from their claim to the creek, and send down the wash-dirt by this means to be washed. Chaeactee of the Gold. Very little gold has yet been obtained from this field : the men are only beginning to get their claims into working-order. Pullman and party showed me about s^oz. of gold, and several other samples were shown me in Picton. All the gold is very coarse, the smallest pieces being about -Jdwt., and some loz. nuggets have been obtained : the largest piece shown me was loz. 12dwt. The gold is all mixed with quartz, and, judging from its appearance, it has travelled some distance: all the pieces I saw were considerably rounded and water-worn. Being intermixed with quartz, it gives the impression of having come from a quartz reef, which will probably be found near the top of the range. When examining several of the nuggets minutely with a magnifying-glass the centre appeared to consist mostly of quartz, with a thin film of gold covering it. This might be the result of rich quartz specimens being broken up by the action of the travelling shingle and boulders in the stream, the gold being bent over the remaining portions of the quartz. I think it is probable that a rich quartz reef will be found at or near the head of the south-western branch as the creek-bed gets worked up. COUNTBY EOCK. The whole of the bed-rock in this district resembles the Otago schists in the vicinity of Skipper's and the Shotover mines, being in thin foliation and full of quartz ; indeed, it is a thinly-foliated schist, extensively intersected by quartz veins. The same class of rock is met with in going from Picton to Okiwa Bay, at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound, after passing Iwirua Point: it seems to run through a belt of country extending from Wakamarina to Keuepuru Sound, and I am informed the same rock is found at Jackson's Head. Gold-bearing rocks exist throughout a wide area in this district, but prospecting has not been carried on to prove whether auriferous deposits are to be found. Mining Population. The total number of men on the field at the time of my visit was about two hundred, of whom ninety held claims in which payable prospects had been obtained. The present extent of known auriferous country will not admit of a large population, as the ground that is considered likely to be payable is almost wholly taken up already; so that any new-comers must be prepared to go prospecting. The sideling of the range is very steep, and in many places nothing but bare rock shows on the surface; so that there is not much dependence to be placed on finding a large amount of alluvial gold on the sides of the range. . Those who have claims in the creek-bed will probably not be able to get much gold for the next two months, as the floods will always destroy their workings, the creek-bed in most places being too narrow to admit of the water being kept to one side. There is, however, a likelihood of a good deal of gold being got when dry weather sets in; and the field, as far as one can judge from the present prospects, is likely to last for about two years. Futube Pbospects op the Field. There are good indications that auriferous-quartz lodes will yet bo found in this neighbourhood > but it is extremely rough country to prospect. There is also a probability of gold being found on Mr. Cullen's land on the flat through which the creek passes; but, if so, it will be expensive to work, on account of the large quantity of water there will be to contend with; so that the ground will have to be rich before it can be profitably worked. The terms on which Mr. Cullen at present .allows the miners to prospect on the terraces are 10s. a month for half an acre of ground. Eoads. There is at present a good summer dray-road from Okiwa Bay, at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound, to the Mahakipawa Arm of Pelorus Sound ; and I was informed that the Government is about to construct a jetty at the head of Okiwa Bay, at which steamers can call and land goods, which •can then be taken by drays to Mr. Cullen's homestead, and thence by drays through his property to the mouth of the gorge. Mr. Cullen offers to allow free access through his property until such time as the field is properly tested. There is a road-reserve through Mr. Cullen's property, but it cannot be used until the road is •constructed; and this would involve the erection of several bridges, as the banks of the creek are not suitable for fords at some of the places where the crossings occur on the road-reserve. Mr. Cullen is, however, agreeable to exchange for the present surveyed line of road, if the Government deem it ■desirable, another piece of land going alongside the terrace, which would be much more suitable for a road than the present reserve, and at the same time improve his property, as it would not cut up the good land on the flat to such an extent. The road that requires immediate construction is a horse-track from the mouth of the gorge to the forks, a distance of about two miles and a half. This, I estimate, could be constructed along the sideling for about £450. The only way of getting to the diggings at present is either to go up the creek-bed—which is only practicable when the 'creek is low, and then only for foot passengers, who have to jump from boulder to boulder—or by a track along the sideling on the northern side of the creek. The latter can scarcely be termed a track, as there are places where a dog can scarcely follow a man ; indeed, it is hard work to travel a mile an hour on this track without provisions or swag.