(from the Observer, July 6, 1851.) Gold at Nuwara Ei.iya. As calculated to interest our readers we take from the Examiner portion of an article and from the Times part
of a letter on the gold discovery at Nuwara Eliya. It seems to be the
old story over again—gold, but not in nuggets or in quantity to pay.
Happily, however, the prospecting now goes on in a region not
necessarily fatal to Europeans.
(From the Examiner.)
By
Friday afternoon at 3-30 o'clock the shaft had reached a depth of some
36 to 38 feet. The soil penetrated was first thick, black, and
peaty-looking— next coarse yellow-clay with sand and stones mixed with
it, then very fine pipeclay—afterwards coarse loose gravel and large
stones—with a larger pipeclay below—and lastly fine gravel and
decomposed rock. The stones found in this layer had evidently been
exposed to the action of some rapid current, all being rounded from the
smallest to the largest. Although it was not considered that that the
shaft was deep enough, it was determined as our Commissioner had to
leave the following morning, to try a few pans of soil—and about 4
cwt..were washed. The result was highly satisfactory; a sufficient
proportion of gold being produced to pay the working expenses. The gold
is very fine and small, and there is no doubt that with the rude
appliances used much must have escaped. No nugget nor anything in the nature of a nugget was
found; nor could it have been expected by anyone who saw the nature of
the soil from which the 4 cwt. were taken, only the smallest, and
lightest portions of so heavy a metal as gold being retained in it. On
the request to wash some of it, the diggers at first objected that it
would be useless, and it was only done to satisfy those who could not
wait for the deeper digging. We shall receive a report in a day or two
of the result of, deeper sinking which will be immediately published.
Gold has been now found in this (Nuwara Eliya) district over an immense
extent. It has been found as you enter the plain on Mr. Selby the
Queen's Advocate's land, on the side of the hill at the back of Sir A.
Buller's, on the low swamp in front of Mr. O'Connor's—at Messrs.
Baker's Saw Mills, on the high land close by, on the Moonstone plains
where the diggers are now working, and lastly Mr. Baker having learned
how to prospect from the Diggers, went some three miles lower
down on the Badullla road and in every place that he tried found Gold.
How much farther it may extend cannot of course at present be known but
here is an extent of 6 1/2 miles over which it is known to be spread,
and that too so thickly that even an unskilled washer can find it in
every pan of surface soil. Mr. Baker has, we believe, ordered a
quantity of "Toms" and "Cradles" to be prepared so satisfied is he of
the auriferous weallh of the district, and others also are following in
the same track, indeed before we left Mr. O'Conner had a " Cradle" at
work in which the 4 cwt. of soil we mentioned formerly were washed.
(from the Times.)
Nuwara Eliya, July 1st, 1854.
TO Tilt EDITOR OF Till. "Ck.Yl.ON TIMES."
DEAR
Sin,—I send you today a sample of the Nuwara Eliya gold, the result of
one pan-lull of surface earth that was washed today, Bradley and party
were
