KIANDRA.
FROM OUR SPECIAL COMMISSIONER
No. 12.
-- The escort left last Saturday with 898 ounces 5 dwts. 6 grains gold end £1438 4s. I did
think that I would have been enabled to have forwarded you something like a mining
report from this place by this time, but so far as mining operations are concerned they are
best represented by the word nil. If Christmas week was a week of cessation from work,
this week, being New Year's week, is possibly doubly so, for all Kiandra may be said to
have been suffering under an attack of delerium tremems. The reason for this is difficult
to account for, whether it being Christmas time, or the new year, or the fact of our having
three weeks of the most splendid weather -- a circumstance that many a few months
since were much induced to say was an impossibility on these alpine regions -- I am not
in a position to decide; but certain it is, that ever since the Christmas holidays
commenced, amusements, races, and, as a matter of course, fights of all descriptions,
have been the order of the day. You will be prepared to hear that under these
circumstances very little is known with respect to Crackenback; for the present it appears
to have died away: not that I think all interest with respect to this place has ceased, for to-
day I have learnt that in the shallow parts of the river payable gold is being found; and
when seventeen (17) ounces of gold can be obtained by a party of four men in four days,
which I know to be an actual fact, one is much inclined to think that there will yet be a
large population there. But, however favourable the opinion of many may be with respect
to this place, nothing could justify the very extravagant and glowing accounts that
appeared in your contemporary, on the 22nd ultimo, at a time when so little could be
possibly known; and it behoves all who may be inclined to give accounts of gold-fields,
and new rushes in particular, to ascertain the facts, and not to give accounts, as they
appear to me, from some interested motives; besides the fearful amount of responsibility
they incur in misleading a large class of hard-working men, who at the sound of gold
would rush to almost any part of the country. Others are led away with the idea that the
glittering metal is easily obtained, and are in too many instances induced to sacrifice their
property or to throw up situations which they eau hold with credit and profit to
themselves, to turn gold-diggers an occupation that but few succeed in making money at,
and the great majority with difficulty make a living. Apart from this, these glowing
accounts are very soon found to be incorrect, and tend to prevent the development of
what might be a moderate field, and bring great discredit on our gold-fields generally.
The returns from the gold-fields of New South. Wales during 1860 are sufficiently
encouraging, from the very considerable increase there shown, to warrant their claiming
the attention of the colony, without giving these high pressure accounts. They only want
to be fairly represented by the Press generally, and I have but little doubt that ere many
years have lapsed the produce of gold in New South Wales, so far as quantity is
concerned (the average of the miners now I am certain is greater,) contrast more
favourably with Victoria than it does at the present time -- for there, instead of an
increase since 185G, a very decided and large decrease has taken place -- and this in the
face of an increasing population and the investment of between £2,000,000 and
£3,000,000 in the erection of machinery for the working of the same.
We have had two days' racing this week, some £170 having been subscribed. If we
cannot boast of having a good racecourse, we can, at all events, boast of having the
greatest amount of protests and unfair proceedings that (ever characterised any races that
have taken place. Without going into particulars which would but little interest your
readers, the whole proceedings reflect the greatest discredit on, many concerned. One of
the stewards, from his position, and the influence he is supposed to possess at this place,
being very conspicuous for the part taken by him; another steward, also, showing his
fitness for the position in endeavouring to get up a faction fight for the particular
amusement, I suppose, of his own countrymen, and deliberately, when a race was being
won, with a loaded whip endeavouring to strike both horse and rider -- a mere boy; but
failing to do so, succeeded in upsetting the race, and breaking the leg of one of the horses
engaged, much to the enjoyment of his civilised countrymen, whose proceedings and
yells -- had one not been present and have witnessed -- you would have supposed to
have been the corroboree of the King of the Cannibal Islands; but that nothing should be
wanted to complete the affair, the horse that had his leg broken, and never passed the
winning post, obtained the prize. People here do say that had the horse have belonged to
any other than he did that this would not have been the case; but, being a steward and
influential storekeeper, of course the decision could not possibly be influenced.
The weather still continues splendid.
<31st DECEMBER, 1860.> -- Our few remaining miners have been amusing
themselves during the last week, and are not likely to commence work in earnest until
they have heartily welcomed in the New Year. All kinds of amusements have been most
liberally provided for them by our publicans and others; but I regret to chronicle that at
the various gatherings at least two-thirds of the crowd were composed of townspeople.
Everything went off merrily and harmoniously. Let us hope that with the commencement
of the New Year things may take a turn, and Kiandra arise from this unnatural depression.
We may now look forward to three months of fine settled weather; and we know that this
alone is requisite to enable the miner to successfully work the beds of the Eucumbene and
the Tumut Rivers. Whilst, on the other hand, we could point out many localities that will
afford highly remunerative tucker to the well-organised ground-sluicer. Diggers ought by
this time to have somewhat got over their roving mania. Crackenback has not realised
expectations. Men are leaving faster than they arrive. Still it cannot as yet be called a
shicer. Some few parties are still engaged in turning the river, and may yet bit upon some
licit deposits. The generally expressed opinion, however, is that the gold is patchy, and
does not prevail except in the sand. Some say, and I think, with reason, that prospectors
should, notwithstanding the difficulty of access, try higher up the river. Plenty of stores
here.
-- Many of our miners are still leaving for these diggings, on
account of the glowing reports that appear in the Yass papers. We cannot see however
that the returns, considering the population are at all such as to cause any great
excitement, and must still doubt the sufficiency off the water supply during the summer
months. Ironmudgerry or Grant's Creek, near Woolwaa: The reported rich surface
deposits near this place have turned out shicers. A race of some miles in length had been
brought on to the ground, but on commencing operations on a large scale it was found
they would not pay wages. These diggings have consequently been abandoned.
-- They have nearly deserted us; many letters have been received from
friends at the Delegate, and Lambing Flat, and many have left in consequence. John does
not like this climate, and greatly prefers what are termed dry diggings.
Business flat, stocks in excess of demand.