CHAPTER LXVI 

 THE COEN GOLDFIELD AND ITS PROSPECTORS, 1876-8 



THREE PARTIES our, 1876. SEFTON'S PARTY AT LOG HUT, LANKELLY CREEK. THEY 

 RETURN TO COOKTOWN WITH GOLD. THEY RETURN TO LOG HUT. WORK MAY 

 TO DECEMBER, 1877. RETURN TO COOKTOWN WITH MORE GOLD. THEY MARK 

 TRACK, FEBRUARY, 1878. RUSH FROM COOKTOWN AND PALMER. ALLUVIAL 

 DIGGINGS DISAPPOINTING. ABANDONED IN JULY. CHINESE RUSH FROM PALMER. 

 CHINESE RETURN. FIRST REEFING OPERATIONS, 1877-9. GREAT NORTHERN 

 MINE, COEN TOWNSHIP, 1902. OTHER REEF MINES. INTERESTS AFFECTING 

 REPORTS OF PROSPECTORS. 



IN 1876, a party of fifteen men went out to prospect the 

 Peninsula, and split up in the neighbourhood of the future 

 TOWNSHIP OF COEN into three parties, one remaining on 

 the ground. This party, consisting of ROBERT SEFTON, 

 SAM VERGE, WATSON and GOODENOUGH, got " ON GOLD " 

 in September, and made their headquarters at the log hut on 

 LANKELLY CREEK. They visited COOKTOWN in December, bringing 

 60 ounces of alluvial gold. In May, 1877, tne 7 returned to the 

 camp, where they remained till December, when they again made 

 for Cooktown, this time carrying 140 ounces. 



A sum of 200 was subscribed in Cooktown, in consideration 

 of which the prospectors, in February, 1878, marked out a TRACK, 

 along which a " rush " from Cooktown and the Palmer took place. 1 

 The alluvial gold proved a disappointment, and the field was 

 practically abandoned by July, when a new rush to Lukinville, 

 on the Palmer, attracted the diggers then remaining on the field.* 



I visited the deserted field in 1879. 



In 1880, 300 Chinese left the Palmer for the Coen, but did not 

 reach it, as they turned back on meeting some of their compatriots 

 returning with unfavourable reports of the alluvial gold.* 



As early as 1887, a mine named the WILSON, about 2 miles 

 north-west of the Coen township, was taken up by a company, 

 who worked it, without conspicuous success, for three years, 

 employing 40 men.* 



1 See Diary of R. L. Jack's First Expedition in the Cape York Peninsula, under date 

 9th September, 1879. 



a Mineral Resources of the Cook District, by James Dick. Port Douglas, 1910. 



3 Annual Report Department of Mines for 1880. 



4 Report on the Hamilton and Coen Goldfields, by L. C. Ball, Assistant Government 

 Geologist. Brisbane, by Authority, 1892, p. 21. 



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