3 June 1854
We learn from an authentic source that the rush to the Pyramul has merely subsided. Still there are comers and goers - men who come and dig for a day or two, prove unsuccessful and "roll up their blankets," whilst others more fortunate, remain. Being a nuggetty country it is either good luck or no luck at all. The digger either makes what on the diggings are termed very good wages, which means about four times the income of a petty German Prince, twice that of an English attorney, or three times that of a Scotch doctor in ordinary practice, earns as much as the conjoined incomes of all three or does nothing at all. A son of Mr. P. Crook's, publican of the Pyramul lately dug up a nugget weighing 9 ozs. 16 dwts., and another of 4½ ozs. which were sold to Mr. Suttor. The diggers are beginning to spread themselves out and try new ground. It is said that from certain indications which have not been described to us, they are confident of meeting with something superior1
.
15 December 1857
On the Pyramul there is a slight improvement in the aspect of affairs. Some ground opened close to the road has proved payable, and one or two patches have been hit upon towards the upper part of the gully. The number of those at present holding payable ground is greater than it has been for some time past. As the ground about the present workings gets worn out it is probable the miners will spread in the direction of Long Creek, where two or three parties have been doing very well for some few weeks past, near Wigram's public house, having had the wisdom to hold their tongues on the subject of their earnings. The gold is of a heavy character, and where hit upon the deposit is pretty general. About three miles lower down the Creek some Chinamen are working, and from what can be picked up from one of their party, who speaks broken English and betrays his countrymen, this mob must have been getting a great deal of gold for some time past. At the Bogy, although the prospectors have given up, an old woman, residing near Mr. Dougherty's sheep station, has proved that gold does exist and in payable quantities in that vicinity. This old lady's duties consist in looking after a paddock under cultivation, and in her leisure hours she has been in the habit of amusing herself with the miner's arms, the washing operation being performed with a tin dish simply. Working in this primitive manner, the amount of the old lady's work for last week was £2.15s. The washing stuff is surfacing. Besides this a piece of half an ounce was picked up by the shepherd's children a few days since in the same vicinity. The whole of this gold is in the possession of Mr. Edward Dougherty, of Dun Dun. The sample is of a very pure and solid description, and evidently of a high quality. Mr. Dougherty will afford every information to parties who may wish to prospect in this very promising locality, in which it must be borne in mind heavy pieces of the precious metal have from time to time been found. The parties working on the Pyramul Creek are in most instances making wages, which although not high have the recommendation of being very steady, enabling a man to live in comfort, and always have a few pounds in his pocket. 5th December, 18572
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22 December 1857
Whilst the neighbouring diggings are languishing for want of water those at the Pyramul rejoice in an abundant supply of the element so essential to our mining operations. In some of the ground it is even too abundant to be pleasant, but in no instance insurmountable. A great number have recently left the Pyramul, and it consequently presents rather a forsaken aspect, but the exodus has had the effect of greatly reducing 'the number of the unsuccessful. Those remaining here are for the most part earning something above mere rations, and a few are doing "a stroke." The shallow ground opened near the road turned out a pretty good patch, some of the claims having paid four and five ounces per man for the week's work. The gold runs coarse amongst others a nugget of five ounces was taken out. The Crudine rush, as was. anticipated, has turned out a failure, and most of those who went from the Pyramul have returned without having obtained a pennyweight. It appears that some Chinamen struck a small patch of payable ground on a point in the vicinity of Buckley's station, and most exaggerated reports of the quantity obtained by the Celestials getting into circulation caused the rush. The majority of the Chinamen, however, have left the place, and the Europeans are fast following their example. The Pyramul River some two or three miles below the present diggings is attracting the attention of the diggers here, and should it turn out to be of any account will be able to give employment to a large number of men.
14th December, 18573
.
26 January 1858
During the past week or two we have had nothing but excitement at the Pyramul. More gold has been getting here during that period than for some time previously; and we have had the Commissioner to settle disputed claims in several instances, very rare occurrence in this usually quiet settlement, in the old ground the returns have been much better than they were, many places having turned out well which former holders had abandoned. The gardens facing Price's Store have been rushed, greatly to the horror of their proprietors ; how ever, there was no remedy, the diggers fancied the place and rushed it - all that the crop owners could do was to gather everything in the shape of vegetable matter sufficiently advanced for culling and let the diggers fall to. A great many holes have been put down which turned out the usual average of "shicers" and some very good claims. The gold in the gardens, like that in the adjoining ground, is of a very coarse character, nuggets of from one to five ounces having been found, together with some good patches of small gold. The sinking runs from six to 12 feet, and some of the ground is very wet; the wet ground, however, about these diggings is mostly the richest. The Pyramul is gradually becoming more known to the diggers, and the number at work on it is on the increase, and looking at the exhausted character of most of the goldfields on this side of the colonies, it is not saying too much of this place to pronounce it one of the best diggings we have. Comparatively little ground has yet been opened, and all that has been opened has turned out well, and been but partially worked, so that the Pyramul stands in the position of almost a new gold field, the resources of which are at present unknown. Surrounded as it is on all sides by diggings, every one of which has been highly productive, and looking to what has already been done here, there seems good reason to suppose that this gold field is as rich as any of its neighbours have been. Gold is selling freely at £3 15s. per ounce.
19th January, 1858.
Two or three thunder showers have given us a partial supply of water, and once more there is a display of vigour amongst the miners, but it is very doubtful whether this will bring back the number who have loft within the past few week. With the Paling Yards abandoned, the Washing Gully almost in a similar condition, the new gully giving little more than rations, and the Green Valley Creek left to three or four workers; there is little hope at present of any large increase in our population. The old ground about Golden Gully seems in the most favour, but from the heavy nature of the work very little beyond small wages can be made there, and this cannot last much longer. The fact that Tambaroora has for nearly six years supported a large population on the lime ground proves beyond a question how rich that ground must have been in the first instance, but the time is now at hand when this old ground must be exhausted and something new opened or Tambaroora must be deserted. The Chinamen and the Pug Mills are rapidly using up every spot where a pennyweight is known to exist, and it rests with the men of business here to make an effort to direct the energies of the working population to the development of the large tract of untried country which surrounds these diggings. Two or three hundred pounds subscribed as the reward for the discovery of a payable gold field within five miles of Tambaroora, would give an impetus to prospecting which would result in the discovery of something to induce a large population to migrate to our neighbourhood. In the present depressed condition of all the diggings any new discovery of a gold field of but medium quality would lead to a larger "rush" than this colony has seen for years, nearly every man on the mines being ready to start off for the favoured locality on hearing of even a pennyweight to the tub. Gold remains at £3 15s. 9d. per ounce.
18th January, 18584
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9 February 1858
THE PYRAMUL
Gardening is still the favourite amusement of the Pyramul diggers, who are ruthlessly turning up Mr. Price's potatoes and cabbages in many instances with as little profit to themselves as to Mr. Price. A few good patches, however, have been struck amongst the vegetables, but as there is nothing like a lead, much of the ground has been abandoned, so that a portion of the esculents may probably reach maturity. Some of our storekeepers stand charged with having been oblivious of the laws regulating the sale of intoxicating liquors - no less than three informations having been filed by one party against them. Of course, until conviction, the plea will be not guilty. No new ground has yet been opened, although a good many are out prospecting; but as no inducement is offered to proclaim any fresh discovery, any party making such will, as a matter of course, do their utmost to keep it to themselves as long as possible. The intelligence from the Crudine is by no means improving; but two or three parties are doing anything, and but very few remaining on the creek. At the Pyramul, on the other hand, the number of hands is on the increase, and, with additional numbers, there is the more prospect of something beyond the present limited field being opened. Gold is selling at £3 15s. per ounce. 1st February, 18585
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18 April 1864
April 14th - I am very sorry to inform you that some one or more persons prigs or prig so many copies of my Empire, that I am under the necessity to make a formal complaint. Only think, I am a poor, miserable sinner living among savage mountains, with no exhortations to either truth, honesty, or morality but what I derive from reading (if it were not that I abhor being suspected of flattery, I would say) the Empire and some other papers, and almost every week I am deprived of a copy of the Empire. Today, I am "minus" an Empire and a Bathurst Free Press. Who ever is the "prig" he may be assured I do not thank him for his mean dishonesty. But if he be a "poor man" I will be one to subscribe 5s. per year to help him to pay for a daily Empire for himself, and perhaps he would be converted by it from the error of his ways. I assure you since I read your paper, I have become an out and out free trader; a thorough free-selector; a "free-thinker" on all subjects approachable by human reason; a direct taxation man; a manhood suffrage advocate; a detester of all parliamentary humbug, and a great opponent of the unrighteous tax upon the transit of the only native literature we have. Now, seeing I derive so many advantages from reading the Empire, I do hope you will permit this bit of complaint to be published, which may lead to the cure of the "priggish" propensities I am thus forced to expose. Upon my honour, I as freely forgive all past tricks with my paper as I welcome fine weather after long cold rains in these mountains. By-the-bye you must stick close to these sad parliament men. I always thought parliament men were learned and rich gentlemen (except such radicals as Cobbett) and studied the good of their country night and day; but I find from the reports of their speeches in your journal; many of our Parliament men are men I never can respect, either for their wisdom, goodness; or eloquence. Don't you think we can cram Parkes some how or other among our Parliament men next session? Capital speech that of his reported last week in the Empire. Will you forgive me adding just a sprig of news? There are 400 diggers on the Pyramul. A great deal of gold is being separated from our "mother earth." Five publicans applied for licenses for houses on or near to the Pyramul Rush, on Tuesday last, and will probably have them granted next Tuesday, 19th instant. Many go away without salt. On Monday morning last, I saw many ounces of small nuggetty gold weighed, got at the Pyramul rush. The scale which held the gold was upheaped. Last week, Johnson got eighteen ounces, and on Monday last two ounces more. Some few have been lucky several times, but many others have been wholly unfortunate. Unhappily some of the fortunate ones never work again till they have knocked down the last find, even if it amounted to £100 or more. But I think such foolery is very criminal, and I would like you to touch them up in the Empire about such unmanly profligacy. When mentioning my trouble, about having my Empire "prigged" so often to my next neighbour, he told me he was often served the same way. This week he is two short. Can't you tell "the prigs" what a flagrant offence it is to steal taxed newspapers6
.
18 May 1872
The Times correspondent writes - The reef at Bolga, lately opened by Smith and party, I think is likely to turn out something above the common; the party are now down 9 or 10 feet, the vein getting thicker and showing really handsome stone; and unlike most of the recently found veins, this one carries gold from wall to wall, not only in the stone but in the loose dirt. Next to this party, to the South No. 1 10-acre lease, Mr. Price and party have struck the vein, showing gold, and as they intend working next week in earnest something good will no doubt soon be struck. Higher up the hill the colour has been obtained but no one has yet succeeded in finding the right vein. On the north work has scarcely been commenced, and until the baseline be officially laid down, there will be but little progress made. The ground is taken up for a long distance each side of the creek and fair offers have been made for shares, and refused. The party in Tindall's vein are pushing their work forward with vigour and from the description of gold obtained from it, little doubt can be entertained of their ultimate success. A trial lot of half a ton was sent to the Mint, the result of which will soon be known. This is from a lode which once turned out some 40 or 50 oz., and the general opinion is that at a depth a very rich vein will be found. I hear that some ground has been taken up near Tindall's vein and that it is a fact that good specimens have often been found. The fact that Bolga und the hills in the neighbourhood of the Pyramul contain vast riches is being made clear by the opening up of these small veins, which must eventually lead the persevering to the attainment of their brightest hopes7
.
14 June 1872
THE reefs at Boiga Creek are now gaining some notoriety. The assertions that good veins existed in this locality, that have from time to time been made, are now proved beyond doubt. A trial crushing has been sent to Mrs. Tucker's machine at Clarke's Creek; and I have no doubt that the result will equal the most sanguine expectations. I must record the opening of a splendid reef at the Upper Pyramul by Baker and party, on a ridge directly opposite Mr. W. Price's store. The vein is 3 feet wide and gold is plainly visible throughout the stone. The country bounding this Creek is intersected by innumerable quartz reefs, which will eventually prove rich, and from the number of veins found within the last few weeks, there is a field for speculation second to none in Australia. The Nuggetty Gully veins are looking well, gold having been found on two of them that gives hope that the day is not far distant when their riches will be unearthed. On the Eaglehawk veins, Clarke's Creek, the new vein the Colleen Bawn has been floated for L10,000, and there is reason to hope that other companies will soon be found to develop the riches of those long neglected hills. Having experienced in these localities as a practical miner, I have no hesitation in averring that there are as good reefs here as in any part of New South Wales8
.
4 December 1886
The old diggings nearly drained of gold. The Crudine reefs are looking favorable. The last crushing went 7ozs to the ton. A number of men on the ground, and miles of country pegged out. Mr. Beyers, of Hill End, who has shares in the reefs, is about to put a crushing machine on the ground. When this is done there will be a great encouragement for working the ground.