KIMBERLEY GOLDFIELD.

Inangahua Times, Volume XI, Issue 1729, 12 July 1886, Page 2

KIMBERLEY GOLDFIELD.

■ •» A PROSPECTOR'S STORY. Arthur Edmonds, one of the earliest prospectors at Kimberley, has just returned fiom Cambridge Gulf. His party started for Kimberley on October 15, with 83 horses and 18 pack saddles. There is a good harbor at the Gulf. They travelled in a south-east direction along the Ord river, and after a journey of 20 miles through marshy country they got on some good land near Parry's Creek. The party travelled about nine miles a day, and the only grazing country was along the river bauks, where the grass is from 12 |to 15 feet high in patches They had ! one of the horses speared at Goose Hill by blacks, who were very shy, and always made for the hills on getting sight of white men. The first indication of gold the party got was between the Nicholson and Pan ton rivers, about 280 miles south from ! Cambridge Gulf. The only water to I be found was that in pot holes in the ! rivers. They got the color of gold j whenever they tried along the Panton | river. They followed this river to its i junction with the Gloire. The two largest nuggets obtained by the party ! were 21|dwts and lSJdwts, but lid- | monds had seen a nugget found by i Morgan, for which he got £80. This I was more than its value, as it was ! half quartz; but it was purchased for | show purposes. Edmonds thinks Kimberley will prove a good reefing country when machinery has been introduced and roads made, so that I provisions could be obtained at a ! reasonable rate. There is not likely to | be rain before October, and it would be ! great folly for anyone to go there : before the rain sets in, and then a digger should have at least a few j hundred pounds. After leaving the ! gold country, the party started westerly ! for Dprby. About the end of Febru : ary they suffered great privation, as ! the whole country was flooded, and : they had to travel for days up to waist : in water, swimming creeks and bill- ' abougs. Edmonds had a very narrow* , escape on one occasion, where tbe [ current was strong, for, after going under water several times, he was only saved hy catching hold of a twig until rescued. Before the prospectors got to Derby, they had to kill a foal, and live on it for two days. The first gold was obtained by the prospectors witbin about fifty miles of the South Australian territory, and Edmonds ■ thinks that portion of the South ! Australia adjoiniug Kimberley will be ; found to be auriferous. -_-__-__-__-_----■