A VISIT TO THE NORTHERN GOLD FIELDS.
FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.
No. 3.
About nineteen miles north, twenty east, from Fair- field, in a direct line, or thirty miles following the bridle
track passing in the neighbourhood of the dig- gings on the tributaries of Emu Creek will bring the traveller
to the main camp on the waters of the Tooloom. Twelve months since the intervening country was
unknown, and all the information with respect to it that could be wrung from the few grassmen that were to
be found about the heads of the Clarence and the Richmond was that it was a mass of rocks
and mountains, rugged and impracticable, good for neither man nor beast. The aborigines were also
represented to be intractable and dangerous. Two parties sent out from McLeod's Creek in the early part of
last year to explore the country, although good pick and shovel men, having no geological knowledge, went
too far to the eastward, and brought back a sample of coal, with a report that no gold was to be found in
that direction. As persons in when the diggers had some confidence persisted in their opinion that gold
would be found in the Tooloom, a third party started northward a few months later, and stumbled upon the
line where the igneous and carboniferous formations come in contact, and the present gold-field was the
result.
Two miles above the camp, a spur, descending from the forehills of the Richmond range, sinks into the
Tooloom Creek. The extremity of this spur, consisting of a species of porphyritic granite and
metamorphosed grit or sandstone, reposes upon a coarse schist, and on either side a deep gully,
commencing in the range, deepens as it approaches the main stream until the schists are denuded. One of
these watercourses is named Joe's Creek, and the other Faye's Gully, and from both a large quantity of
gold has been obtained from the detritus, and by breaking up the schistose rocks which here are a coarse
flagstone, and separate in oblong junks something in the form of bricks. The precious metal is usually
obtained in nuggets, often from between the joints of the rock. The upper portion of neither of these
streams has been found payable, and it is only from below the point, where the schists are first exhibited in
the watercourse, that they have proved to be auriferous. There is every indication that a rich quartz reef-
perhaps something similar to that at Burrendong -- crosses the spur, from north to south. The auriferous
portion may have been destroyed by the degradation of the hill, as experience teaches that rich reefs
intersecting metamorphosed sandstones often cease to be auriferous when they enter the true granites.
This has been exemplified at Burrendong, and many other places, and I think it probable that the richest
deposits of gold in the colony will be discovered by following the line of contact between the carboniferous
and schistose sedimentary rocks and the igneous upheavals. In such situations the metamorphosed
sedimentary rocks will be found to be deprived of all or a portion of their more perishable superstrata of
unaltered sandstones, limestones, shales, and schists, presenting an appearance of sandstone passing
into porphyries, and porphyries into cyanites and granites, or other igneous products. As the igneous
formations rise to the surface, or become denuded by the disintegration and removal of the superstrata,
the metamorphose and crystallization of the superincumbent deposits will be more complete, and it is in
localities where the porphyritic sandstones rest upon the granites to the depth of from twenty to forty feet,
or where the schists are invested by the outburst of granitic masses, that I would expect to find the
greatest accumulation of metals, either as sulphurets or oxides. The line of contact, with its variations,
would not probably exceed one longitude from the Macpherson Range to the Murray, and
its careful exploration would repay either the colonial Government or private enterprise, if protected from
the grasping encroachments of the common herd of gold seekers.
Amongst numerous instances of successful mining in Joe's Creek I was informed that McLean's party of
four recently divided 500 hundred ounces of gold between them, the result of three months' labour. A later
stroke of fortune is that of Templeton and Co., working in the same creek, who last week pro-cured the
heaviest nugget that has been found on the Northern gold-fields, weighing 140 ounces 15 dwts. of pure
gold. It was obtained about twenty yards above the spot where the eighty ounce nugget was found some
few weeks since. This is the third time that the claim has been worked over by as many parties. The first
merely ran a gutter up the centre, when, believing it to be exhausted after obtaining a few ounces of
gold, he Sold his interest for £7; the second, a German, worked it a little wider, and took out sixty ounces
of gold in six weeks, when, hearing of the rush to Emu Creek, he abandoned it for that locality, and there
did nothing ; the third, the present holders, have worked it still wider, and procured more gold than either
of the former parties-exclusive of the nugget previously noticed. This is the history of many of the
most valuable claims in this district. I have noticed several on the tableland, and M'Leod's and
Sandy creeks, which were sold by the first holders for sums under £20, which have since yielded gold to
the value of several thousand pounds.
On Saturday last the agent of the Joint Stock Bank purchased from one party over 500 ounces of line gold,
obtained on the tableland at the head of M'Leod's Creek.
The Chinese have been investing largely in claims supposed to be exhausted; the prices range from £80 to
£150. They appear to be of a superior class to those usually seen on the Western gold-fields, and are said
to include some capitalists in their number. They have established stores on various parts of the gold-fields,
and seem to be doing well, and satisfied with their earnings, notwithstanding that they have been
occasionally victimised by salters. Having had occasion to take shelter in one of their tents from a
thunderstorm, I enquired how they were getting on, when they answered that they were too poor to
purchase a claim from an Englishman, and were doing nothing. On examining their tin dish I found that one
party of four had procured half-an ounce, and that another party of three had obtained seven dwts. of fine
gold ; they were re-working abandoned ground on Sandy Creek, and had averaged 8s. 9d. per man: in
their own country they would consider themselves to be amply repaid for the same amount of labour by a
shilling. Having heard that several parties had retraced their steps to the southward, I enquired the cause
from one of their headmen, when he replied that they had no money to buy claims, and would not work for
hire. They appear to be averse to opening new ground, and have no confidence in their own judgment --
preferring to follow the foot- steps of the European.
The dense hanging scrub on the tributaries of the Millera, on the south, side of the Timbarra River,
still continues to be a favourite resort of the miners, and no place has been discovered in this district of
so much promise, both with reference to quartz reefs and alluvial deposits. There is but a very limited area
as yet opened, the surrounding scrub being all but impenetrable. Several men have been lost for five or six
days in endeavouring to cross it, although its width is not more than about three miles. The dig- gings here
are on a small branch creek, rising in a plateau; its riches have been incredible; one party
obtained fifty-six pounds weight of gold there, and it is said to have been only nine weeks from the day he
left Tenterfield until he returned. Several others have been equally fortunate, and there are parties now at
work there making from £30 to £50 per week to the hand. They wash grass, roots, black soil, in
fact, everything before them. Many new comers make to the scrub as soon as possible after their arrival,
but the majority return with the old story, that all the rich ground has been taken up. They do not appear to
fancy scrub work, and would prefer jumping a portion of the open claims. There is one claim on the branch
in which two sets of men have set in behind the proprietor, following him up closely, and re-working the
ground after him. He says, that he will get all he wants, and they are welcome to pick up the crumbs. I saw
some beautiful specimens of frosted gold which had been found in the scrub, and which had evidently not
travelled far from the reef. It is possible that the present diggings may be an isolated spot below a rich reef,
but the reported formation of the locality is in favour of a contrary opinion; some persons who have
succeeded in forcing their way through the tangled brush, say that at a short distance to the southward
schists succeed the granites, and that to the eastward there is an outburst of basaltic trap. As you progress
to the southward the gold becomes more pure, and consequently more valuable: that procured from Sandy
Creek is worth three shillings an ounce more than that from the M'Leod, and that from the Mulera branch is
worth more than either. Nothing has been found in the Milleia itself worth working; but all the small
tributaries, near their source, have been more or less productive, there could be no stronger evidence of
the vicinity of rich reefs.
These diggings are situated a little to the east of south of the head of M'Leod's Creek, they cannot be more
than fifteen miles distant in a straight line; but the impracticable nature of the country intervening renders a
detour of thirty mile3 necessary even for travellers on foot. The distance from the river is about twelve
miles, and the path leads up a rugged ascent for the whole distance. The greatest drawback or difficulty
that diggers have to contend with on the Milkra gold-field is the cost of supplies, salt, sugar, flour, &c, are
Is. per lb.; bacon and cheese 2s. per lb., and every thing else in proportion; the cost of carriage is so great
that I do not see how it can be remedied.
It is rumoured that a quartz reef of some value has been discovered near Poverty Point at the
southern extremity of M'Leod's tableland, in the vicinity of a number of small creeks that have been worked
over for the first time. The discoverer, a digger, declines to make it public at present, but his mate
informed me that they had obtained some very rich prospects from its debris.
M'Leod's tableland, at the first sight very little appears to be doing in the neighbourhood of the main camp,
which has now all the appearance of a neat township, with its well-stocked stores, public-houses, and
banks; but upon following the numerous creeks in their descent to the lower M'Leod, through the scrubs
and over granitic precipices, I found many par- ties, all doing well, and working in the most out-of-the-way
places. The creeks had been all roughly worked for the first time, but they will certainly pay for re-working;
the nearer the source, the richer they appear to have been. There were also large areas of surfacing not
yet opened, which only require a supply of water to become payable. There is, perhaps, no gold-field in
New South Wales where the miners work with such secrecy, or resort to so many artifices to disguise their
success. A couple of strangers are seen hanging about the camp for two or three days; they disappear-but
now and then show up at dusk, or early in the morning, when out of rations. If the storekeeper should
enquire what they are doing, they are merely making rations, or waiting for water. In a few weeks they are
off; and then it leaks out that in some corner of the scrub, or at the head of some little watercourse, they
have been taking the gold out by pounds weight. The head of Sandy Creek, about a mile from the head of
M'Leod, on the opposite side of an enormous pile of granite rocks and precipices, was long worked in this
way before it attracted attention; and there every claim for about three-quarters of a mile is a fortune. Even
persons in business, who would be supposed to be anxious to draw a population to the district, make a
merit of withholding all information, and the consequence is that many persons never go beyond the main
camp; they look round and see the ground in the immediate vicinity either occupied by Chinese or
exhausted, and a country rough and differing in its character from any other goldfield in the colony -- the
chances are even that they take themselves off, the victims of first impressions.
The diggings at Emu Creek (the new rush) are still not workable for want of water; the few parties
remaining are either seeing Christmas out, or merely holding possession of their claims.
There have been two or three rushes to creeks between Tabulam and Tooloom, rising at the base of the
Richmond range, the ground being limited, and the water scarce, it was speedily occupied by the
first comers -- those working confess to wages here, supposed to mean from £5 to £7 per week. There is
also a rumour of payable ground having been found on the lower part of the Sandy Creek, which is
auriferous for thirty miles from its source to its junction with the Cataract river which falls into the
Upper Clarence above Tooloom. Notwithstanding the success attending the labours of the majority of
the parties now working there are a vast number of idle men running to and fro in chase of rumours from
one diggings to another; and the in-comings and out-goings of prospectors are watched with the most
intense anxiety by those who hope to reap where they have neither ploughed nor sown.
The feud between the people of Grafton and Armidale becomes daily more furious with reference to the
escort, and each side is strong until the other is heard. The Graftonians claim all gold-fields on the waters
of the Clarence as their own peculiar heritage, but with the exception of the new line of road I cannot learn
that they ever did much towards their development. They have waited for the gold like the waters of their
river to flow past them. The people of Armidale have the honour of lodging the Chief Commissioner, and
with the view of retaining that honour they desire to hide the poverty of their escorts under the bags from
the Timbarra; to be deserted by our friends, and have the veil torn from our poverty, is the lowest depth of
human misery; one is one hundred miles distant by the nearest road, the other is one hundred and eighty,
and both are equally desirous to pick up their crumbs with as little trouble as possible. In the meantime the
diggers are neutral, and care but little for either of the contending parties. The much-coveted honour should
be held out as a prize to the most active and energetic in the development of new gold-fields. The
tributaries of the Mitchell and the Boyd are yet unexplored, and still open to their enterprise. It is not
improbable that gold-fields, as rich as any hitherto discovered in New South Wales, will be found at the
heads of those streams. Poor diggers cannot undertake such an expedition; rich ones seem to escape from
the district as speedily as horseflesh and steam can carry them. This honour is therefore reserved for the
people of the rival cities. That these fields will be discovered is certain, and it is equally certain that when
they are found a number of persons will come forward who have been long cognisant of their whereabouts
and will be able to supply the native names for the respective localities, It is as sate to predict that there is
gold in that country, as that there are fish in the sea, -- but the whereabouts of either is the difficulty.
Tenterfield and its neighbourhood was devastated last week by a hailstorm of unusual severity. Hailstones
are reported to have fallen as large as pigeon's eggs, and to have destroyed every green thing within the
circuit of the storm. The sun flung his morning shadows upon blooming gardens, and a wealth of waving
crops. His evening shades lengthened upon a desert of unsightly fences, and fields of crushed and broken
straw; the heat has been intense, and the day usually closes in with a thunderstorm of great violence but
short duration, when no more rain falls than is sufficient to refresh the drooping vegetation, lay the dust,
and tantalise the digger.
Fairfield, 14th December.