Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918), Friday 27 June 1856, page 2


ARARAT.

The rush to this place still continues, though not to such an extent as described in my last, and very few are leaving for other, to them, more tempting gold-fields ; diggers, unless possessed of capital, generally prefer returning to such ground as from actual experience they know possesses the precious metal. However, everything looks brisk, and though it is exceedingly difficult to find out what amount of gold is actually brought to light from its secret hiding-places, still, to judge from the activity of our gold buyers on Saturday, the quantity must be considerable. The new main lead, or more plainly, the lead which caused the present rush, has made the fortunes of a good many, and I think I may, without exaggeration, state that one out of every three holes on this lead has paid. A number of the first holes that were bottomed on this said lead, and given up for blanks, have all been taken up by other parties, and have turned out in several instances remarkably rich. It is no criterion here in finding the bottom a blank that the claim should be ditto, for the

gold runs exceedingly patchy, and though there is

a sort of lead, still within a foot or two from it coarse gold may lie in abundance.

Amusements are plentiful, and well attended. A new dancing saloon, called the Elephant and Castle, with a floor about sixty feet in length, was opened on Saturday last, and attended by a crowd of about five hundred diggers and two females.

There is some talk about starting a local paper and advertiser here, and I am informed that a gentleman has gone down to Melbourne to make

arrangements about type, &c.— Herald.

—Herald.