The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-22 00:00:00

STONEY CREEL

The miners are spreading over the country, and a
great deal of new ground is tieing opened, with pretty
fair results. Of course very exaggerated accounts are
abroad, and these should be received with caution unless
well authenticated. Stoney Creek is a rich and prospe-
rous district, but it is not a Bendigo. Amongst the
many who have arrived not the least important are
two large mobs of Chinamen. These gentry came in
their national costume as seen on the willow-pattern
plates, and excitsd much merriment by their grotesque
appearance as they marched in long single files,
carrying on their bamboos "swags" which made the
Europeans open their eyes in astonishment. The
celestials at present are not very troublesome, but
when the summer comes on and water gets scarce, it
is to be feared that serious inconvenience will arise
unless most stringent measures are adopted to keep
theta in check. Those who have had experience on the
Victoria gold fields, where Chioamen are numerous, will
readily understand this. There is no sign of any post-
office yet, and correspondence is still a difficult and un-
certain matter. Stores are getting pretty numerous,
which is a great relief to those who have been lung
obliged to put up with the wretched affairs, miscalled
store, whicn existed prior to the " rush." Gold sells
on these diggings at 3/. 14s. to 3/. 154. per oz.
The Vaitland Mercury of Saturday says :—The intel-
ligence brought dawn by the last mail appears to be very
scanty. Oue letter received yesterday speaks in general
terms of the Rocky River Diggings as giving every pro-
mise of "going ahead," and adds that many were ar-
riving from the Victoria side.—The folio wing is extracted '
from another letter, dated Rocky River, July 31st :
" Some time ago there came a few days' rain, and the
people not being prepared for it, and the ground being
bad, some twenty five holes fell in. It frightened many
away ; and people coming here with nothing are forced
to go away again, and give the diggings a bad name.
The sinking is very deep and hard, taking from one to
three months to sink a shaft. In many places, if they
get down six inches per day they do well. Soule are mak-
ing a fortune, while others are starving, which is prin•
cipally their own faults. They are striking the gold
very rich in many places, al4 round within'a mile arid
a-half. I saw one wan wash from half a dishful of stuff
21 ounces. He had two loads alongside his shaft, and
tie would not take 1001. for it. It appears to be a dig.
gings that will last longer and better than any other in
this colony. There are upwards of a hundred people
arriving here every day." It is reported that additional
means of protection have been furnished to the mail
guards.
The Hanging Rock diggings are said to have had
considerable accessions to the numbers working there.
We were on Saturday favoured with the sight of two
letters from the Rocky River, which arrived by that
morning's post, addressed to a mercantile firm in this
city. Tney were of the most encouraging character. A
gentleman who had purchased a quantity of gold writes
—"I took my seat on the mail to-day to bring down
the gold, but the driver seeing the quantity I bad de
clinch bringing me, assigning as his reason that he was
afraid of our being robbed. I hope to be down in a day
or two with it. There is a talk of the Government sup-
plying additional guards to the mail." The second letter
was marked confidential.