West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 28 September 1885, page 3


REPORT OF THE KIMBERLEY

PROSPECTORS.

To the Government Resident, Kimberley.

Derby, 8th August, 1885.

Sir,

On the 30th April last we, the under-signed, left the Yeeda Station for the head waters of the Margaret and Ord Rivers, to prospect for gold.

We followed the Fitzroy to its junction with the Margaret, and continued up the latter river till we struck a large branch coming from the northward. We followed this branch up till we were stopped by the roughness of the country, when we turned off and went in a S.E. direction for two days, and struck another large branch which appeared to be running S.W. This stream we followed for about a day and a-half, when, finding that it was making more to the North, we left it and steered a course vary-ing from S.E. to N.E., for another day and

a-half.

This brought us to another branch of the Margaret, which, after a day's journey, was found to be also making too much to the North ; so we left it, and for about two days steered a north-westerly course, when we observed that the waters in the creek we then reached were running North instead of South-west. This showed us that we had arrived at the watershed of the Ord. After following this creek for a day we left it, and struck eastward. Twelve or fifteen miles brought us to another creek, which appeared to be running S.E. We crossed it, and continued on our course for about four miles, when we struck a creek lined with palms. Finding that the country ahead was too rough to traverse, we returned on our tracks to the creek we had made the day before, which ran S.E. After recrossing it, and following our outward track for about two miles, we steered S.S.E., and kept on that course for two days. We then bore a little to the eastward, and struck a river

with a bed as large as that of the Fitzroy, which was running a little South of East. We followed this down till we reached the open country. Thinking we had passed the Panton and Elvire Rivers, we turned round and went up its South bank, till we struck what we took to be the Panton, close to its junction with the Ord. We followed up the Panton till it was joined by the Elvire, which river we followed till we seemed to be within a short distance of the watershed.

We then struck about North for the head waters of the Panton, and reached a creek running North. This creek, which was dry, led us, after 10 miles journey, to a water-

hole.

It was at this point that we found pay-able gold, which we now show you. The weight is about 10 ounces. The gold lay in the bed of the creek, quite close to the sur-face, merely covered by the drift sand.

We commenced to prospect from the firstnamed branch of the Margaret.

On this creek, as on the head waters of the Ord, down the Ord River, and on the Panton, we found the color. We found it also in every hole we put down on the El-

vire.

Being short of water and provisions, we were obliged to give up prospecting and re-

turn to Derby.

We collected the 10 oz. of gold in 5 or 6 days. We had to carry some of the washdirt two miles before we could wash it.

On our return journey we kept more to the South, rounding the southern spur of the Leopold Range. We found a passable road.

The time occupied in travelling from the spot where we found the gold to the Yeeda was 16 days,

We consider the payable gold is 400 miles

from Derby.

We are, &c,

(Signed)

John Slattery, Charles Hall,

Joseph McCaque, John Campbell,

Alex. Nicholson, H. A. Poult.