of Ballaarat, Bendigo, and Ararat, in Victoria, were all rushed, and deserted as unprofitable when first opened up. The senseless panic which hurried thousands from Otago in 1861 is only another illustration of the same general rule. Many who hastened to seek sudden fortune at Tuapeka were utterly unprovided for the purpose; and numbers, deterred by the gloomy tales of unsuccessful diggers, never even quitted the vicinity of the Jetty at Dunedin until they re-embarked for Melbourne. At this juncture the Government issued a Proclamation,* in which the peculiar features of the gold-fields, and the difficulties attendant on mining enterprise in Otago, were fairly and honestly pointed out, and exaggerated statements were denounced as "likely to be productive of much suffering." His Honor Major Richardson, Superintendent of Otago, asserted in this document "the existence of a valuable gold-field, of considerable extent, capable of affording remunerative wages to a large population;" and avowed the confidence of the Government in the auriferous capability of the Province, as a highly remunerative field for capital and labor; at the same time deprecating the inconsiderate influx of persons from other colonies, and cautioning intending immigrants to act with greater prudence. The result was a diminution of immigration; but there is no doubt that the gold-fields progressed all the more favorably from the consequent absence of undue excitement. A sufficient number of miners remained to test the ground, and in the month of November the escorts attained, an aggregate of 73,904 ounces, affording indubitable evidence of the capacity of Otago to afford remunerative employment to a large mining population.

keepers and their employés. Many professed their intention to return in the spring; others, deceived by the appearance of the country, so different to what their Australian experiences taught them to consider as auriferous, entertained the fallacious idea that the mines were exhausted. Those who remained certainly had no reason to regret having done so; for the minimum yield of gold in any one month (that of July) as evidenced by the escort returns, independently of the quantities brought down by private hand, was 10,557 ounces, which, at current rates, would give an average of about £2 10s. per week to each miner.

Some discoveries of smaller extent, yet promising great results hereafter, were made during the winter months. The first of these was at Timbrell’s Gully, under Mount Highlay. Deep-dell Creek, a branch of the Shag River. Filly-burn, a branch of the Taieri, and Murphy’s Gully, on Run 109, all in the neighbourhood of the Mount, were successfully prospected. Gold was also found at Coal Creek, on the head waters of the Shag River. These localities constitute what was known as the Highlay Gold-field.

More recently, a party of miners were discovered working on the Dunstan stream, near its junction with the Manuherikia; and in a Report on the Reconnaissance Survey of the North-Western Districts, Mr. M’Kerrow stated that gold had been found by a shepherd, between Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka, on Quartz Creek, a small tributary of the Clutha River.

Still at the end of July no new field of equal magnitude with the earlier discoveries had been developed. But in the following month two Californian miners, named Hartley and Reilly, lodged at the office of the Chief Gold Receiver in Dunedin 1047 ounces of gold. The locality whence this treasure had been obtained they refused to divulge, until the Government had guaranteed to them a reward of £2000, conditionally on 16,000 ounces being brought down by escort within three months. These terms having been accepted, they stated that the scene of their labours was on that portion of the Clutha River which is situated between the junction of the Manuherikia and that of the Kawarau.

No sooner was this information made public than a rush of unprecedented magnitude occurred. Without waiting for any confirmation of the prospectors statements, thousands hastened to the new field. Clerks resigned their situations, and mechanics quitted their work. On

• September 28.