I enquired why he never went out to search for gold after having gone so far, his reply was
So long as miners entertain such views, there is little chance of new fields being discovered except by accident. There is one small general store on the Willawa, but no butcher -- the supply of animal food is therefore very precarious; and the want of proper supplies has somewhat retarded the development of the mineral resources of the district. Upwards of 70 men, who visited the diggings on their road westward, left them immediately, chiefly for this reason -- fortunately there is no public-house. I may add that there are several children, of all ages, who will become as wild and as savage as the glens and mountains that surround them, as there is not the semblance of a school in the community, neither have they as yet had a visit from a clergyman of any denomination. As an example of the unsettled disposition of diggers, I may state that the two men who obtained the 6 oz. nugget with other gold on the Willawa Mountain, left the next day, and I fell in with them a few days afterwards 30 miles down the river; they had not been a week on the diggings, and on the first piece of good fortune they were off as usual. Following the course of the Willawa through narrow flats enclosed by steep ranges alternating with gentle slopes for three miles, I arrived at De Lanty's Creek, on the right bank. This stream was so muddy that I followed it up to its head, expecting to find a large body of men at work, but was disappointed. It is flanked by high mountains, but has not been found to produce gold in payable quantities. Three miles lower down, the Willawa, after many windings, forces its way through a lofty range of mountains of the usual quartzose-schistose formation, and receives the small stream of Jew's Creek. At the confluence, a party of five diggers and about thirty Chinamen were at work on the bars, which are here very extensive, and from the many points and elbows on this part of the creek, payable gold maybe reasonably anticipated. The miners were doing little, but the Chinese were said to be doing well, although they would not admit the fact. Pursuing Jew's Greek up to the Mudgee Road, distant five miles, I observed an outburst of fine grained blue granite in the creek, and large granite boulders in the lower part of all the ravines and valleys along its banks. This creek is not auriferous, or at least not payable, and the old workings of 1853 and 1854 were at its junction with the main stream. On the road to the left is an extensive farm, in a high state of cultivation; and on the right the Ben Bullen Inn. The change from schistose to trappean rocks, making a corresponding change in the soil, which is here very rich, and continues so until the granite is lost under the neighbouring mountains. Returning to the Willawa, and following it down for two miles, the alluvial flats become more extended, the mountains higher, and the slopes longer, the casuarina makes its appearance, and the Turon begins. For six miles the river presents a similar aspect; the points and bars are frequent, and the ridges and mountains much cut up by creeks and ravines -- steep bluffs, now on one side, now on the other, giving place to sloping spurs and narrow flats. There is here a deserted sheep station, formerly belonging to a Mr. McNab. Two points above this station is a steep bank, which would pay for toming or sluicing from top to bottom. All the water-courses here produce gold, however short, and it is un- questionable that there is a vast amount of wealth in the bed of the river, which will one day reward what- ever engineering skill and labour may be expended upon its development—the depth of the detritus, and the sluggish course of the stream, place it out of the reach of our present race of miners. Every watercourse, every hill along its tortuous and narrow basin, presents its golden tribute to the Upper Turon. I have never washed a shovel-full of dirt from the river without obtaining gold, and, as a further proof, there is a party of Chinese under the window where I now write, up to their middles in the river, fishing out the detritus with a long-handled shovel, which it pays them to wash; it is not probable that one man will raise in this way more than from 15 to 20 buckets in a forenoon, and yet I went to learn what they are doing, and find that they will make from 7s. 6d. to 10s. a day each. A miner can calculate from this what the same detritus would probably pay 10 or 15 feet nearer the bed-rock, by putting 25 or 30 loads a-day through a machine. Below McNab's station is a narrow creek with steep banks; it is some miles in length, contains coarse gold, and there are many points in it would pay well for working. I am of opinion that higher up it will be found rich, as it has its source in the Palmer's Oakey range, where the quartziferous, schists come in contact with trappean rocks, and present an appearance of contortion and very great disturbance a sure indication of gold. The immense amount of detached quarts, together with black siliceous pebbles, found here, are evidence that the precious metal cannot be far off. Nearer the river quartz becomes less generally diffused, but the veins are larger where they occur, which is usually towards the top of the ridge, or on razor backed spurs, where it is still abundant. The mountains now are higher, but less rocky and precipitous, being generally covered with soil to their base, and verdant with grasses and other vegetation; the geological formation cannot, therefore be so readily distinguished as in the more broken ranges. Higher up, or further re-moved, a deep rich loam covers the flats, the river still tortuous, in some places narrow and others expanding into wide shingly bars, shaded by gigantic she-oaks and occasional long reaches, partaking of the character of waterholes, occur, in which, no current is visible; but the steep banks still present the same auriferous indications. About a mile from the creek above noticed, on the left bank, is an extensive gravel flat or point, the whole of which would pay for sluicing, provided water was brought to it, which is practicable. Passing this flat you are at the mouth of Fiddler's Gully, a long creek, having its source in the same mountain as Palmer's Oakey. Gold has been found along its whole length, and its banks have been worked in several places with success. It has also many small branches emptying into it, which all contain some gold. As you advance along the basin of this creek quartz is found scattered in great profusion. Near its head large boulders of granite make their appearance and the schistose rocks are much thrown about; the strata are broken into huge masses, and at all angles, from the perpendicular, arched, and contorted. There are two or three parties of diggers on this gully, one of whom has obtained a very rich prospect in a small branch creek, a short distance below the outcrop of the granite. The party is now at work there, and a rush is anticipated when the result becomes public, which they will prevent as long as possible. The enquiries are anxious and frequent on the subject. I know that the prospect was rich, and that the ground looks promising. It is probable that a few days will see the solitude of Fiddler's Gully broken by the noise and din of a score or two of cradles in full work. Crossing from the head of Fiddler's Gully, following a track of about 2½ miles over the range you come upon the old Palmer's Oakey diggings, where the numerous abandoned shafts in all directions are evidence of its rich deposits prior to '52 and '53. Now it is nearly deserted; a party of Californian have cut a long race and brought the water upon the old ground, where they are sluicing headings and all before them, which will in all probability turn out a profitable speculation, as many of the abandoned claims here and elsewhere in the early days of gold diggings were not more than half worked. There are about twenty men, in addition to these, who make average wages when they, as a Yankee would say, feel like working. Returning to the Turon over the ranges between Fiddler's Gully and Palmer's Oakey you find the whole ground auriferous, and pass over many minor branch creeks and ravines that possibly are as rich as any that have been opened in the vicinity. Following the Turon in its devious course for eleven miles, you find it still preserve the appearances already described; there are occasional prospecting holes sunk on the bank, but no regular workings. Here you reach the confluence of a running stream on the right bank, a large creek of the same character as the Turon, in, the lower part of which gold has been found, but not worked to any extent. It runs between mountains of great height, containing much quartz, and of the usual schistose formation. The detritus is deep, and the declination barely sufficient to carry off the water. There have been some considerable operations carried on, on an extensive bar, at its junction with the Turon, but none of the workings have been bottomed. Three miles lower down is a sheep station, and a little below it, Diggers' Point, a long peninsula, formed by the river, which here flows in a narrow channel between steep banks, forming many points and elbows. The mountains as the right bank are high and precipitous, and the ravines short; but all contain gold. Some parts of Diggers' Point have been found rich, fortunes having been taken out of single claims. The greater part is still unworked, the sinking having been confined to two or three localities, where heavy deposits were found in the first instance. The river bed has been proved to be rich here, but never worked, as the banks are from twenty to thirty feet high, and the detritus very deep. A tunnel here across the neck of the peninsula of about 500 yards, through the soft schistose rock, would cut off a detour of the river, and dry between three and four miles of its bed. When labour becomes more abundant such works will be found remunerative. Natural obstacles prevent our exhausting our gold- fields with too great a rapidity, and will reserve some- thing for future generations. Before the Upper Turon can be rifled of his treasures, saw-mills must be erected, and the lofty oaks and gums that he now nourishes on his banks be pressed into the service. A flume, 4 feet wide and 18 inches deep, would carry the river, and drive pumps sufficient to take up any drainage through the detritus, or from springs, When large co-operative companies shall undertake such works, all
"bees and no drones,"
a new era will have dawned upon our gold-fields. The directing influence and science that at the opening pointed out the proper spots for the exercise of mechanical skill and labour has been withdrawn; those spots are partially exhausted, and undirected labour, unable of itself to find similar places for the exercise of its strength and skill, although surrounded by them, goes staggering about in the dark, roaming to and fro, exclaiming that the golden days have passed, that the diggings are exhausted. All the headings and old works on the long point would pay for sluicing; in fact, the whole point is payable for extensive economical operations, and a quartz reef passes through its centre, dipping from the opposite range. There is but one solitary old digger here, a Leatherstocking in his way, who wheels the surface in a barrow from the top of the ridge, and finds it to pay for washing. From Diggers' Point to the junction of Palmer's Oakey with the Turon, and thence to the gulf, a distance of four miles, the banks and hill slopes have been worked, and in some instances heavy deposits of coarse gold have been found, nuggets having been obtained varying in weight from 25 ozs. to a few dwts, and several fortunes have been accumulated on this ground. The gold has never been found in leads, but in irregular patches, the sinking ranging from three to thirty feet, the bed rock being clay slate in neatly perpendicular strata favours this disposition of the precious metals. Although much has been done, very much more remains to be done before this locality can be said to be exhausted. Moonlight Gully and Hill, Barrack Hill, and Butcher's Point, have all yielded a large amount of gold, and are all only partially worked; the mining operations in each being concentrated round some particularly lucky shaft, and when that spot gave out, the hill lost its reputation and was abandoned. The formation at Barrack Hill differs from that at the opposite side of Palmer's Oakey Creek, the surface being formed of yellowish white clay slate, soft and friable, intermixed with more or less gravel, beneath which is a conglomerate of schist and quartz stones, much water-worn, with jasperised pebbles, resting upon a red brown fossiliferous rock, composed chiefly of marine shells in great perfection, in some instances, 40 feet in depth; the whole underlaid by a soft soapy green schistose rock, very similar to the Turkish hone, to which it is nearly equal for grinding cutlery; some portions are nearly as fine as the flags used by lithographers, which I believe might be procured in this vicinity. Gold is found on this fossil rock and for six or eight inches within it. The same rock has been found below the bed of the river, and it appears to take a north and south direction, crossing the course of the Turon and under-laying the lofty and broken mountains through which it forces a passage at the gulf. Three miles up Palmer's Oakey Creek, limestone makes its appearance, overlaying the quartziferous schists, and in close connection with the granite of the opposite ranges. The entire surface of Barrack-hill contains gold in such quantities as to pay both Europeans and Chinese for carrying it in buckets and barrows to the river at its base; the slope is very gradual, and a slight tramway would enable six or eight men to wash 50 or 60 loads daily, the descending loaded waggon drawing up the empty one, after the manner practised on the English coal-fields, or in the same way as the people of San Francisco remove sand hills, to obtain building sites, or to fill up their bay. Six men would lay down the tramway required here, construct waggons, and be ready to wash within a month, after they had about 2000 feet of sawn timber on the ground, at an outlay of little beyond their labour and subsistence. Such an undertaking would require the front of an entire hill side to make it remunerative for surfacing. Small twenty feet claims must be an obstacle to such extended operations, and be one cause of so much ground being unoccupied that would pay for working under a proper system. It is calculated that ground yielding one grain, to two buckets of dirt would pay well for sluicing or machine washing; the same ground worked by the present method -- that is a man remaining at the tub and cradle, and his mate filling each bucket or bag, and carrying it to him a distance varying from 100 to 500 yards, over a difficult pathway, cannot pay; therefore, unless the mode of working be altered, and the claims and grants permanently extended, much valuable mineral land must remain locked up until a new and improved system throws open its treasures. A party of Americans are coning a race from Palmer's Oakey Creek to Barrack-hill for the purpose of sluice washing; they have gone back up the creek four and a half miles, which will give them an elevation of 80 feet above the river, allowing a declination to the race of quarter of an inch to the rod. About three miles of this race is completed, and it is a masterly piece of work; it is carried by flumes of 120 yards in length across the creek twice, at a great elevation, then round the sides of the hills and rocks by escarpment, and over depressions again by flumes. They have been their own engineers, mechanics, sawyers, and labourers, thus setting an example of industry, ability, and perseverance that it is to be hoped Barrack-hill will repay with interest when their work is completed. The bed of Palmer's Oakey Creek near its junction with the Turon has never been fairly tested, in consequence of the under current at all seasons, and the depth of the detritus, from 15 to 20 feet. The hills and flats on either side have been found to be immensely rich, and from this it may be fairly presumed that the bed of the creek is rich also; the race now cutting will throw open four miles of the channel above the junction, as it has capacity to carry the whole stream. A tight head dam and good pumps are all the requisites to overcome the springs and leakage, so as to enable parties to wash the bed rock. Six miles from the banks of the Turon, over a high range to the S.W., in Tobin's Oakey Creek, payable gold has been discovered within the last two months, the first parties were very successful, making as much as £50 to the hand per week. There are now about eighty men at work. There is a flat in the locality, which is expected to pay well when the water goes down. At present it is not workable. Great hopes are entertained that there is a heavy deposit in this place; the indications are good, and the gold already procured is compact, heavy, and of a superior quality. However, as usual on new ground, many duffers have been put down. There is no store there at present, and the population would be larger if it was not for the difficulty in procuring supplies. This creek has its rise in the same range as Palmer's Oakey and Fiddlers' Gully. It is the range commencing near the Pinnacle, at the Willawa, and may be very possibly the main source of all the gold found on the left bank on the Upper Turon. The richest creeks have their source in that range, in many places it opens out into plateaus or table land, and from it all the spurs descend that reach the river's bank along its sides. At various points may be found all the quartziferous schists in conjunction with igneous rooks and limestone, and the disturbance evident along its whole length is greater than elsewhere in the district; in fact, it appears to have been the central point or place of contact. The hundreds of ravines and gullies at the back of the Turon, and to the right and left of this range, have yet to be prospected and discovered. Two miles below the junction of Palmer's Valley, the river has cut a deep narrow channel through a lofty range of mountains of the usual schistose formation, overlaid by a black, hard, ferruginous conglomerate, of large, rounded stones and pebbles, chiefly silicious and quartzose, with altered sandstone. Immense detached masses of this conglomerate are to be found on the banks of the river, and laying on the sides of the chasm which it has cut to its own level; this place is named the gulf, and may be said to separate the Lower from the Upper Turon. At the junction of Palmer's Oakey with the Turon there are two public-houses, two stores, and a butchering establishment, several families, about forty miners, and one hundred Chinese. They work generally with the tub and cradle, and are all making wages according to their labour. I have seen some pounds' weight of the gold, which is the produce of the last few weeks, in the hands of a storekeeper here. They have a good school, and a clergyman from Sofala, the Rev. Mr. Palmer, visits them on the first Sunday in each month. There are gardens and enclosures on the flats, well stocked with vegetables; and several of the families appear to have permanently located themselves at this spot amongst the mountains, with all the elements of prosperity surrounding them -- the soil prolific, and every hill and watercourse pregnant with mineral wealth, which only requires a sufficient population for its development. I have now endeavoured to give a description of the wild ranges, streams, and .valleys forming the country of the Upper Turon, embracing an area of about 600 square miles, which appears to be but little known, and which, from its immense mineral resources, its fertile though contracted valleys, and its vicinity to the capital, must eventually become one of the most important districts of the colony -- all it requires is a hardy, sober, energetic population.