Prospecting Experiences Newspaper Article

Prospecting Experiences.

Of the proposed Townsville prospecting party, the " Northern Miner" states that last week Mr. M. Cameron, the leader, was appealed to for further information. Mr. Cameron proceeded to relate some of his experiences on the goldfields of the colonies. Perhaps it is not generally known that he was on the West Coast of New Zealand in its palmiest days ; that he was at nearly every rush on the Sydney side ; that he took part in the first rush to Gympie; was at the Cape, Upper Cape, the Gilbert, the Etheridge, spending four years on the Percy. At the Percy he made a 'great rise,' taking £1600 worth of gold out of a rich leader in a few days." Mr. Cameron has his memory full of moving Incidents, and the " Miner" gives some sensational bits in his digging days on the Palmer :—" It will be remembered," he says, " that the first rush on the Palmer took place at what was soon known as the Lower Township, where Mr. Howard St. George, the warden, had bis headquarters. I pushed on up the river to a place which I christened Revolver Point, about thirty-five miles above the Lower Township. M'Leod was at German Bar, about half-a-mile below Revolver Point. I was travelling with two horses—one carrying rations and tools, while I rode the other, and some swagmen followed me for protection, because I carried a revolver, and the blacks were said to be bad, though I never had any trouble with them. I got to a place where a bar ran across the river, and taking the packs off and hobbling the horses I went down to have a look. There was the gold on the bar as thick as plums In a pudding. The water was quite clear, and you could see the gold—beautiful amongst the wash, the bottom being a nice soft slate. Well, from the first dish I got 4 oz." He continues :—" I didn't peg off any ground that evening ; but the swagmen coming up saw where I had got the gold, and pegged off every foot I was first on the spot the next morning, determined to have my rights as the prospector of the find. I was there before daylight, and afterwards a man came up, and said that I was on his ground. I claimed the ground as mine, as I had found it. He said that it was his, and would stick to it, at the same time presenting a revolver at me, and saying that he would shoot me. I jumped to one side and rushed at him.
bitting' him one under the Jaw, which sent him sprawling:. Then I got hold of his revolver, and chucked it into the middle of the waterhole, and turned"., round to the others and said—' I'll do to any man who tries it on with me the same that that fellow threatened to do to me, and I'll call this place Revolver Point !' That is how it came to be called Revolver Point." Here is the end of the matter :—" I was left in the place, and single-handed, just with the tin dish, I washed £900 Worth of gold in a fortnight. It was a deep waterhole with rocky sides, and I used to sit and puddle the clay in the dish, and get the gold very nicely every day, - Sometimes the: gold would be thick on the under side' of the pieces of slate, and I would brush it off into the dish with a little bit of bush. Ah! there's nothing like prospecting. You never know, when you are in good country, but what you may turn up a nugget, you never feel tired. The excitement of It keeps your brain active all the time, and. you are. always ready for work. If I were a, single man now I would not take a pound a day and remain in town. After we are dead and gone a hundred years gold will be found in North Queensland, and there are better chances of making a fortune prospecting than in knocking about town."

The Queenslander
1895
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/

Good one James.
Is great reading all the old tales and trying to imagine what it would have been like in the days of old (and gold).

Mate the old tales I just love them. and at times there full of info.
Cheers James 101

Keep em comin mate.
Is true some things never change and some do for the better but I feel alot has changed for the worst in my time on this big rock

Billy wrote:I feel alot has changed for the worst in my time on this big rock

How true is that mate. cheers