Mines and Mineral Statistics. 
43 
Three other claims, viz., Holden’s, MTvay’s, and Hogan’s, have 
paid wages, and their prospects are improving. 
Eurther down the flat is llickey and party’s. They got the 
vein at 40 feet, and are following it down. This is really a good 
■claim, -the vein being wide, easily worked, and above the average 
in gold. 
Kext to them is Groat and party. This claim is not so rich in 
gold as Eickey’s, but is very easily worked, and a groat (juantity 
■of stutt’ is got, which a>'erages about 7 d^vts. to the load. The 
vein has not been traced further than this claim. 
It is impossible to say the exact (piantity of stuft’ washed from 
these claims daring the year ; but, as near as can be ascertained, 
there has been G,U00 loads put through the machines, for an 
aggregate result of 2,800 ozs. 
There is considerable speculation as to the future of Gum 
Elat, the formation being different from anything the diggers 
have experienced ; it is the general belief, however, that the vein 
or lead extends a great deal further both ways than has yet. been 
proved, the difficulty in finding it being very great, although the 
ground is easily sunk upon and worked, yet the vein being nearly 
perpendicular, with the same formation on each side of it, there 
is nothing to guide the prospector ; he may sink within a few 
feet of it, and miss it ; and again, in many places the vein is so 
narrow and poor tliat he may drive through it and not be aware 
of it. 8ome are very sanguine tliat tins vein will lead them 
down to the main granite formation, where they expect to get 
something good. They seem to be assisted to this belief by the 
opinion expressed by the Eev. Mr. Clarke, that on the western 
slope of the Canoblas there are heavy deposits of gold, but at 
great depth.” There was a prospecting shaft put down on this 
Elat, upwards of *300 feet, without finding the granite bottom ; 
it was abandoned for want of means. 
There are a considerable number of known payable reefs on 
Cargo, nearly all of which are held under application to lease. 
They arc as follows : — 
Ironclad Eecf, Homeward Bound Eeef, 
Adelaide Eeef, Wreath of Eoses Eeef, 
Pride of Cargo Eeef, Lucknow Eeef, 
Victim Eeef, 
Dalcooth Eeef, 
Eise and Shine Eeef, 
Alpine Eecf, 
Galatea, 
Mobbs’s Eeef, 
New Chum Hill Eeef, Prince Alfred Eeef. 
The owners of nearly all of these leaseholds are working on 
Ihe alluvial on Gum Elat, and leave these tracts unworked for 
various reasons. Eirst, they have remunerative employment 
where they are, and are not compelled to work these holdings 
