Mines and Mineral Statistics, 
19 
principally carried, there being no depth of soil in the creek- 
bed to favour the deposits of gold, as the bed-rock is washed 
almost cdean by the fierce action of the water eouflneil at these 
points to narrow gorges. Water, however, is now so scarce that 
hardly a race is riinuing, and those that have a little do not carry 
more than half a sluice-head. A little work is being turned at 
the head of the valley, but very small compared to what it would 
be were water more plentiful. At the same time, if water became 
so abundant as to set the races running, the large stripping 
■claims in the valley would be mastered by the water and would 
have to knock off work. The remarks respecting the head of the 
valley apply equally to the lower portion, and in fact to the 
whole extent of the Araluen Creek down to its junction with the 
Dena River. The two streams when joined seemed to me to carry 
about two full ground sluice-beads, but certainly not more than 
three ; so that some judgment may be formed of the difhculties 
in the way of sluicing. The total number of miners, including 
those on the Lower Araluen, is estimated by persons well 
.acquainted with the locality at about 450 ; and of these, 250 are 
engaged in mining upon private property. 
Mogo is a very unimportant Gold Field at present, having been 
completely worked. The deposits were rich for a time, hut not 
very widely spread ; and as it depends solely n])on sluicing, 
nothing is now being done there. It is situated in tlie lower 
country of the Clyde watershed, and does not contain at present 
more than some twenty or thirty miners. 
Nerrigundah or tlie Gulph has been a very rich field in 
its day, but it is now very nearly worked out. The ivind of work 
is precisely the same as that carried on at Major’s Creek and 
Mongarlowe, namely, working the river-bed when water is scarce 
and sluicing the banks when the races are full. Tliere ai*e about 
150 miners on the ground, half of whom are Chinese. Three 
reefs are being worked, but not extensively, being more for the 
sake of testing than for anything else, since two of them have a 
10-stamper battery in close proximity to them. The gold obtained 
from here and Mogo is never taken into account in any way. 
There is no escort, and it all finds its way by steamer through 
private hands to Sydney. Though of no very great importance 
as a Gold Field at present, the district is known to be very rich in 
minerals of various kinds, and it will thus require a good deal 
of careful attention from the Warden in charge. Besides this, 
seeing that the Gold Fields of Mogo and Nerrigundah come so 
close down upon the coast, there is fair reason to believe thnf other 
tributaries of the coast rivers may also be found to be auriferous — 
in fact some auriferous laud in this district Avas reported. 
The Delegate Gold Field is distant from Bombala 25 miles, 
.and about 140 from Nerrigundah j this long distance having to be 
