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The Nicol. 
Early in 1890, gold was found on a small river called the Nicol, about ton 
miles West of Roebourne, by some men engaged in sinking post-lioles for a fence. 
The gold occurred near the surface, and was at first easily and cheaply obtained, 
but later on, when the lead was traced down into the flat, more work had to be 
done to gain it. This small patch of gold-bearing country is so little above the 
sea level that no deep sinking has at present been possible, owing to the vast 
volume of water encountered; but it is highly probable that the deep ground, 
carries gold. At the present time this field is nearly deserted, as the limited area, 
over which gold has been found is worked out, and no reefs have as yet been dis¬ 
covered. The gold was probably derived from rich patches in the quartz veins 
and leaders, which in this district arc much broken and of very variable thickness, 
owing to the many intrusions of masses of granite and trap rocks. 
THE ASHBURTON GOLDFIELD. 
( Proclaimed December, 1890.) 
The field embraces an area of 8,200 square miles. 
The Ashburton Goldfield is situated on the Ashburton River, and extends from 
a point 150 miles from its mouth for 150 miles inland. This river, for the most 
part, flows over large alluvial plains, with low ridges of clay, slate, and quartz 
outcropping here and there, and fiat-topped ranges away to the South; but in one 
place, called the Gorge, the hills close in upon the river, which flows in a deep 
rocky channel for a few miles. 
Most of the gold workings lie on the Southern side of the river, the only 
exception being the “ Dead Finish.” The strange thing about this field is that 
gold has never yet been found in the reef, although very promising stone is often 
met with. 
Top Camp. 
About 15 miles East of the Eastern end of the Capricorn Range gold was 
first found at a place called the “ Top Camp,” in some deep creeks on the Southern 
side of the river Ashburton. The wash was of no great depth, and the gold was 
highly water-worn and in large flat bar-shaped pieces found in the ledges of the 
clay slate bottom; the largest of these weighed about six pounds. Over 10,000 
ounces have been taken from these workings. No reefs carrying gold have, as 
yet, been discovered in this locality. 
The Soldier's Secret. 
Fifteen miles further Westward, down the Ashburton, on the Mt. Blair 
Creek, at the Eastern extremity of the Capricorn Range, another patch of alluvial 
works is situated called “ The Soldier's Secret.” The gold is found here in much 
smaller pieces than at the “ Top Camp,” the largest piece having only weighed 
about an ounce. It is estimated that over 1,500 ounces have been raised. 
The country here is rough and broken, with deep creeks running through 
rocks of clay slate. 
Dead Finish. 
On the opposite (North) side of the river, about 30 miles further down, is a 
small patch of workings called the “Dead Finish.” Here the country is not 
nearly so hilly as on the other workings, but many more quartz reefs exist, in 
which, as vet, the presence of gold has not been detected. These diggings have 
