A VISIT TO THE WESTERN GOLDFIELDS.
BY OUR SPECIAL REPORTER
No. 30.
After leaving the Chinese encampment at Golden Point, referred to towards the close of
my last, you pursue the track round a point where the clay slates alternate with a coarse
grit, and about half a mile lower down the mountains again approach the stream and
contract its basin; and here about thirty Europeans, including three or four families, have
located themselves, and have a small store amongst them. These are also making fair
regular wages, being chiefly employed in the bed of the river washing the drift. This spot
is mainly indebted to the quartz reefs formerly noticed for its wealth although much of
the auriferous drift to be found in the channel of the stream comes down with the various
floods, it was amongst the first places worked on the Meroo, having been discovered by
the stragglers from Ophir and the Turon, and was soon abandoned for the superior
attractions of Maitland Bar and Richardson's Point. The recent energy displayed by the
Chinese in collecting supplies will be the means of gathering a population sufficient for
the development of the resources of so limited a district.
And now, while we were exploring this wild region darkness has crept upon us, there is
neither shelter nor horse-feed to be procured, not a blade of grass is to be seen, and I have
nothing for it but to go forward until I reach one of those small grassy flats which are
every now and then to be found on the margin of the river, and on I go through the
crackling underbrush, every now and then straying from the path and groping my way
back again with difficulty, the trail leads over rocky ridges barren as a barn floor, and
presently I find that it has narrowed to about nine inches, a precipitous pile of rocks
towers upwards and becomes lost in darkness on my left, and on the right, a precipice of
unseen depth overhangs the river I determine to retrace my steps, it is too late -- it is
impossible to turn the horse, a dog could scarcely turn on the dangerous path, safety lies
in pressing steadily forward, and I have only to trust to the instinct of the animal, and a
sure foot for its preservation. Once more I move a-head, leading him by the bridle, now,
the narrow path rises precipitously over ragged pointed rocks, and now it goes down.
Heaven knows where. Once, the crumbling earth gave way under the hind feet of the
horse, I thought his hour had come, but he recovered himself, and, losing confidence in
my leading, he refused to move until I throw the reins on his neck, when he followed me
step by step with his nose almost touching my shoulder. At last, the crest of the ridge
comes in sight -- we reach it and are in safety. Following this ridge downward, we reach
Yoeman's Point, where a crowd of Chinese are encamped who, gathered round their fires,
make the mountains ring with their shouts and unearthly screechings, and here under a
bush we pass the long hours of a cold winter's night, but too happy to be able to stretch
ourselves once more on the green sward. Our noisy neighbours seemed to have little
curiosity, as, although they saw our fire from the opposite bank, they did not trouble
themselves to find out who was the intruder. When morning broke, we discovered that
the regular track was on the north bank, here some twenty feet in perpendicular height,
formed of a loose sandy drift, under which was two feet of poor washing stuff -- to
reach this was the object of their toil; further back an ancient channel crossed the point at
an elevation of 200 feet above the present water level -- this has been exhausted by
Europeans; proceeding down stream, passing Poole's Point, never productive and now
abandoned, you arrive at King John's ridge, here six European diggers have opened
payable ground on the crest, some 100 feet above the river, the lead crosses the ridge
forming a bench, and presents all the indications of an obliterated water course, yielding a
small quantity of fine drift gold.
The path now again becomes difficult, huge fragments of quartz may be observed in the
bed of the river, the schists are transmuted, the strata are nearly vertical, enormous blocks
of porphrytic rocks are scattered round, and every thing denotes that you are on the
verge of the site of a vast igneous eruption. As you advance you pass over a wide
doleritic dyke highly cellular, and intermixed with scoriæ, and ashes supplied from the
clay slate formations. These, with the elongated vessicles all in the same direction, seem
to indicate a flow of lava, and a sub-ærial eruption somewhere in the vicinity. As you
now proceed on the south bank, you observe that the slates have disappeared, and that the
high ridges over which the path conducts you are composed entirely of syenite, exhibited
in immense rounded masses just bursting through the surfaces, or in huge blocks exposed
by denudation all trending to the southward, and rising to the highest summits of the
steep range that now separates you from the plateau. On one of these ridges a quartz reef
occurs, intersecting the granitic formations, and following the usual course from north to
south there have been no works in its vicinity until passing through the granites and
transmuted schists it again appears in the clay slates, over the banks of the river. You are
now hemmed in by massive broken ranges of great elevation on either hand, and the path,
both rugged and tortuous, conducts you over steep rocky ridges at their base. The river
here has always disappointed the prospector, and has not been found worth attention for
the last three or four years. You have now passed through the syenites, and again
recognise the transmuted schists, which speedily give place to the regular clay slates,
when you descend upon a flat at the junction of Carr's Creek with the Meroo.
This stream descending from the plateau pursues a tortuous western course for some
miles through deep defiles, following the direction of the granitic formations, and
forming the heavy range which here separates the basin of the Meroo from the tableland.
Into these defiles and gorges the digger has seldom, if ever, penetrated, and its character
as an auriferous stream, is therefore still undetermined, although it is most probable, from
the general absence of quartz and the formation of the broken district of which it receives
the drainage, that it will be found unproductive. However, it must be borne in mind that a
single reef might enrich several points, and alter the character of a large portion of the
creek. Above the junction is a point below which are some extensive excavations, the
shingly bar also bears traces of much work, but the locality is now deserted by all, with
the exception of a solitary party of Chinese, who are re-washing the drift, and still obtain
a little fine gold.
The river still continues to separate the granitic from the schistose formations, the latter
rising precipitously on the north bank form the lofty ranges which, descending on the
opposite side, fall into the basin of Grati Creek.
We are again on the path which has led us across the river to the north bank. Here slaty
ridges alternate with others, in which the igneous rocks reappear. Glimpses of open
country to the northward announce the termination of the range we have followed for so
many weary miles, and you soon find yourself on a richly grassed, undulating plain,
crossing which you arrive at the junction of Grati Creek with the Meroo, and here you are
at the World's End, where there is a small store, and a ragged patch of cultivation. A
party of Chinese are working in the drift, but there is no appearance of mining operations
having been prosecuted to any extent, neither are the indications such as would attract the
attention of the miner.
From Maitlind Bar to the junction of Grati Creek, with the exception of a limited area
below the quartz reefs in the vicinity of the gap, the river has been proved to be much
inferior to the upper districts in the value of its auriferous deposits, occasional patches
favourably situated, have yielded fine gold in remunerating quantities, and it is probable
that every succeeding flood will bring down sufficient to enable the Chinese, and other
persevering labourers, to earn as much as may be necessary for their subsistence; a
succession of leads will also be discovered on parallel benches, crossing the various
unworked points and ridges, at an elevation ranging between 50 and 400 feet above the
present water level these will perhaps generally pay for working, but nothing more.