THE LACHLAN
FROM OUR SPECIAL COMMISSIONER
No. 7.
-- Our escort to-day takes 1669 ozs. 12 dwts. 16 grs. and £2326. This is the largest quantity
sent from here in one escort up to the present date. It is not to be attributed to any further
opening of payable ground, but to the fact that some few of the claims hare been washing
a portion of their stacks of dirt, the yield from which varies from two to six; ounces to the
load. All the dirt here is washed in horse-puddling machines -- one claim (Stewart's) on
the first ground opened, out of three machines have washed out fifty-five (55) pounds
weight of gold. This, together with the rich patches they had washed during the time they
have been working, makes a total of one hundred (100) pounds weight of gold taken out
of this single claim up to the present time. This amount of gold to many, I doubt not, will
appear incredible, but I can positively assert that such is the case.
The finding of a pound weight nugget, some few days since, on the Victorian lead,
caused a rush to the place, and although the wash at present obtained does not equal that
in the first ground opened here, it promises to extend some distance, running as it does
parallel with the first lead, and making towards the river. Several nuggets, from three to
twelve ounces, have been obtained; and eleven loads of wash from one claim produced
twenty-one (21) ounces.
At the north end of the first lead struck, a few shafts are obtaining gold, but at present
there is not that confidence in this end there is in the south end. Several nuggets, from
four to ten ounces, have been found, but the gold here appears more scattered, and
contains a greater amount of quartz intermixed with it than any other gold at present
found on this field.
On the south end, two other shafts have struck the gold, but at present no shaft between
No. 58 and the river are bottomed, the depth of ground increasing as you near the river;
and in some shafts the water is very troublesome. Crossing the river, several shafts are
being sunk. Last week one was bottomed shallow fifty (50) feet upon a high reef, without
obtaining gold -- the bottom rock dipping considerably to the east -- showing that the
deep ground is considerably to the eastward of the shaft sunk. The party have
commenced another shaft, and are very sanguine of striking the lead.
At the present time there is considerable speculation in shares in the various leads,
regular share brokers being employed. Shares in the south lead, in shafts not yet bottomed,
have been sold from £40 to £120 per share. In one of the first claims opened, £700 was
given for a share. In the North Block claims, shares have been sold from £20 to £80.
The reef, distant ten miles from here, since named Strickland's, is marked out for a
considerable distance, but at present there is but little work being done. There is great
difference of opinion here whether it at present can properly be called a reef. In and near
the prospector's claim there is what diggers call a "boil"
of quartz cropping out
of the surface, varying in width from one to five feet, and from the gold visible in the
quartz, some of which is rich, there is but little doubt it is all payable. This line of quartz
can be traced for a considerable distance, and the opinion of many is that it will lead to
the cap of a reef. At a depth of about three feet in the alluvial in this neighbourhood gold
has been found. Its distance from water, with the present prospects, will, I believe,
prevent its being worked.
The Britannia reef is still producing payable stone. A company are now erecting a steam
quartz-crushing machine near it, so that in a short time we shall be enabled to test the
value of the quartz in this neighbourhood.
Little work was done during last week in consequence of the races on Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursday. They took place some six miles distance from the diggings.
There was nothing worthy to chronicle with respect to racing -- horses or management
-- but if the collection of some of the most noted rowdy vagabonds and thieves, far
exceeding in number anything I ever saw upon a racecourse, can be considered a success,
this was the most successful race meeting ever held. The few police under Inspector
Sanderson with all their vigilance, were quite insufficient to prevent numerous bare-faced
robberies -- the system adopted being to collect a crowd under some pretence or other,
and in the row and rush the professionals plied their avocations to some tune. One
gentleman digger -- the owner of a golden claim -- being quietly eased of £150.
For some days past the weather here has been excessively hot and distressing, the glass
being as high as 112 in the shade and 145 in the sun. Were it not that we are fortunate
enough to be near the river and can enjoy a bathe, there are many here, myself included,
that would find it impossible to stop, and if we are to have it still hotter, as many here
state it will be, to work, write, or do anything else will be impossible -- there will be
nothing else for it but living in the river and waiting for a change in the temperature,
which cannot come an hour too soon.