A Licence-Fee Of 30s., Or Half An Ounce Of Gold, Per Month Was
Imposed, Which, With Few Exceptions, Has Always Been Cheerfully Paid.
The Turon diggings soon followed those of Bathurst.
This river flows
into the Macquarie after a course of a hundred miles. Along the entire
length auriferous discoveries are constantly being made, and it bids
fair to last for many years to come. The gold is not found, as many
erroneously suppose, so much among the sand as by digging in the soil.
It also exists in paying quantities on the shores and in the rive flows
of the Macquarie, the Abercrombie, and Belubula rivers. Major's Creek,
too, is a favourite locality, and was first made known by a prospecting
woman.
According to Mr. Stutchbury's report, he found gold ALMOST WHEREVER HE
TRIED FOR IT, and whilst traversing the Macquarie from Walgumballa to
the Turon, he found it at EVERY place he tried. Surely Midas must, once
upon a time, have taken a pleasure-trip to Australia!
The delirium of the Sydney gold-fever reached its height when it became
publicly known that a piece of one hundred and six pounds weight had
been disembowelled from the earth, at one time. This immense quantity
was the discovery of a native, who, being excited by the universal
theme of conversation, provided himself with a tomahawk, and explored
the country adjacent to his employer's land. He was attracted
by a glittering yellow substance on the surface of a block of quartz.
With his tomahawk he broke off a piece, which he carried home to his
master, Dr. Kerr, of Wallawa.
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