Mines and Mineral Statistics, 
17 
Except in tlic wet seasons, tlie yield of gold from this field is 
very small ; and, as in the case of the Shoalhavcn, there is really 
no mode of obtaining a reliable retium of the actual amounts 
produced in this locality. Ey an arrangement Avith the gold- 
buyers, I think I shall be enabled to get at something like an 
approximate return of the yield in future. Tlic workings liave 
been all shallow alluvial sinh'iug, very seldom exceeding 20 feet 
in depth ; and all the auriferous ground, whicli does not on the 
average extend for more than some 200 yards from the idver, has 
been pretty well worked oxit, eveiy creek and gully, and every 
little break in the ridges, having gEen up its run of gold, more or 
less exteush'c according to the character of the ground. It was 
originally worked in block claims ; but since then very niucli of 
it has been ground-sluiced, Avhilst much of tlm shallow surfacing 
on the face of the ridges has also been sluiced, Avith payable 
results. It is upon tliis sluicing that the miners now mainly 
depend, and they haA’^e couscapiently only the races to look to for 
a supply of Avater. Of these ordinary races, cut for the supply 
of individual miners, OA^cr 100 miles arc maintained; but besides 
these, a very fine race has been cut by the AV*arrambueca Sluicing 
Company, some 25 miles long, bringing a strong head of Avater 
from the EuddaAvang liangc on to the loAver part of the Warram- 
bncca Creek. This race is ilumed 0 A*er the "Warrambncca Creek, 
at a height of 40 feet, by something like a quarter of a mile’s 
length of boxes. It is computed that there arc about 200 
European and 100 Chinese miners working on the MongailoAve 
Gold Field. Some reefs haA'e been opened here, with a very good 
slioAv of stone, sozne of Avhich Avas A^eiy rich indeed in patches 
that soon ran out howeA'er. The worlv on these reefs has been 
discontinued, OAving to the j^arties being unable to keep doAvn the 
AA'ater Avith the pumping machiuery at their disposal. The Avatcr- 
level here is very soon reached, being struck at a depth of 30 
feet only ; but I am under the impression, from Avhat I have 
gathered from miners who have been employed on these reefs, 
that the Avater is surface soakage only, and not a regular under- 
ground water deposit, because at a considerably lower depth no 
AA'ater is found to come in. Thus, in a shaft that was sunk some 
100 odd feet, and kept clear of Avater by pumping, a drive put in 
some 20 or 30 feet was found to be perfectly free from water, no 
soakage coming in from the roof of the drive. If this he the case, 
the Avater may A'ery easily be kept down, if the parties be disposed 
to continue their Avork. 
At Jembaicumbene the work is all done by Chiuese, and on 
private property. It is confined entirely to sluicing, but the 
deposits have been pretty well Avorked out. 
Major’s Creek and Bell’s Creek come within the same de- 
scription I liaA'e already given of the MongarloAve Eield, being 
