Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 13 September 1851, page 2


BALLARAT DIGGINGS.

(From the Correspondent of the Geelong Ad-

vertiser.)

Buninyong, Thursday morning.

Henceforth " Ballarat Diggings " will be the designation by which our gold field will be known. A few brief days has peopled the locality with a hundred and twenty diggers—a number increasing every day. Tents and huts now stretch along the margin of the Buninyong gully, in numbers sufficient to constitute a small town. The change in the whole aspect of things here is astounding, and more resembles a dream than an actuality. It is a free community, all legislation coming from the commonwealth, and all disputes, (of which, happily, there are but

few, and those few of the most trivial character,) are referred to the body in public meeting assembled to be decided upon. As an instance in point, a public meeting was called on Monday evening, to confirm the acts of the diggers, and to adju-dicate upon certain claims put forward by new arrivals. When the original discoverers and their immediate followers first set down on the

" Ballarat," they spread themselves along the hills and banks of the creek, dividing themselves into two large parties, separated by a space ex-tending some quarter of a mile, as yet to a con-siderable extent unoccupied. There is ample space to accommodate hundreds higher up the Buninyong gully and through the ranges, skirt-ing the Leigh for miles ; but new arrivals wish to warp in as nearly as possible to the established diggers ; to obviate which, and to prevent future misunderstanding, the meeting was called, and it was resolved that ten feet frontage be allotted to each man ; and in reply to an application from some parties from the Pyrenees, who applied for river frontage in a particular spot, they were informed that it was occupied, but that parties in occupation would allow them a transit over it until actually worked. And further, as two parallel lines are now forming, that a right of way of fifteen feet be marked out between the two lines of claims, with these restrictions—all new hands to come

and choose where they pleased. So much for

our Legislation.

Esmonds has arrived from the Clunes, and Kavanagh's party from the same place. Arri-vals are frequent from all parts, and one man assured me to-day, that gold had been disco-vered in great quantities at Mount Cole ; and

another man showed to me two pieces of gold which he said he found on the Coliban, at

Clowe's station.

At "Our own diggings," I have to report the

discovery of three nuggets, which I have just seen weighed. The first piece weighed 271 grains, the second 106½ grains, the third 136 grains ; and I have seen others on the ground fully equalling them. Those specimens are purchased and forwarded to Messrs Jackson,

Rae & Co., in Melbourne."

Whilst perambulating the " diggings " yester-day, Mr. Cooper showed me a piece of quartz from about four feet below the surface, thickly encrusted with ferruginous earth, in which were

eighty to a hundred pieces of gold. Portions of the cleavage, were thickly studded with various-sized pieces ; of the kind, it is the most beauti-ful specimen I have yet seen.

There is of course a great difference to the success of the parties working, but next are less successful. Messrs Day and Gurlick's party are netting two and a quarter ounces per day ; Connor's party five ounces per day ; another

party an ounce and a half per man ; others an ounce per day ; one party only half an ounce between three ; Binder's party an ounce and a

half per man ; a party of three an ounce per man per day. The ''mutual association" of seven, an ounce and a half per man per day ; Shipman's party a quarter of an ounce each ; Richard and Wilson's party three quarters of an ounce each per diem ; a party of three two

ounces per day ; a party of five one ounce per

day ; ditto one ounce ; Furby and Richards one ounce and a half per day ; Tom Toddleton and

his uncle half an ounce per day ; Dunlop and

Regan half an ounce per day.

Two parties were experimenting higher up

the Ballarat, previously to fixing their tents, and their workings showed a good average.

We have seen the three " nuggets" alluded

to, and their appearance is so far satisfactory that we can conscientiously recommend even to

those most afflicted with the yellow fever, that

they do not leave for the Turon just at pre-

sent.—Ed. A.

From this it may be said that the gold field is steadily progressing, and many a longing eye is thrown on the bed of the creek, in prospective hope of a rich yield when the waters go down. Provisions and other necessary articles have not advanced upon the range of prices last sent. Weather still tempestuous, and creeks high. The Geelong mail did not arrive until four hours after the fixed time, which involved the necessity of forwarding the Buninyong and Horsham mails without it, after the above de-

tention.

A. C.

I had almost forgotten to mention the arrival of a new washing machine on the ground, which was put in operation last evening. It resembles at first glance a small fire engine. It has three sieves, suspended from a transverse bar, working on crank joints, surmounted by a perforated reservoir, and is reputed to do a vast deal more than the common cradles. It was manufactured at Mr Porter's at Buninyong, by Messrs Scottie, Habby and Co., and looks a likely machine to

turn out a deal of earth.