Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-11-09
The Gold Discovery in Australia.

The Cold Discovery ira At1strsiAa'
After describing Wellington, in twohnes, as "a
town where there are scarcely two houses Wlthlh
a stones throw of each other, and where every
second one is a public house." Colonel Mnndy
poes on to the little settlement OF SummcrhH,
the scene of the first gold discovery. 1t will be
remembered that il was in the Summervllle Greek,
in the wear 1851, that tlis took place In l84G,
none dreamed of the metallic wealth that lay SO
near at hand. In 1850, on second visit pald by
the Colonel to Coombing, Mr.. lcey showed linn
some minute specimens of gold ina quartz m&tr!S
visible only through microscope. lie showed
him at the same time a letter from Sir Rode9cE
Murchison with reference to a specimen sent homc
expressing that eminent geologst's opinion that
the western slopes of the Australian CordlIcra
would lie found highly auriiercus. This was in
Scptember. 1850; the specimen and the opinion
probably simulated research, and in May, 1851,
the newspapers announced the discovery, 10y Mr.
Hargravc, Of indigenous gold in the Bathurst
district. The first news were discrcdted by many,
and set down as hoax "The suspicious asscr-
ted lhat the hoax was got up by the Bathurst
people in order to attract custom; that the Speci
mems circulated i'll Sydney were Of California OIL
gin, and had been planted and found again with
view to tempting persons inland" Now That
the first novelty has sworn off, that the gold MINES
of Australia have ceased to be matter OF doubt
or WONDER and that specie from New South Wales
appears as natural an item in ships entry, as
do dollars from Mexico, or iron rom Sweden, IT
is interesting to read in Colonel MundyS Glimpse
of the Gold Fields, of the various lndlcations-
called to mind after the fact which ought, one
would fancy, to have long ago led to the unearth-
ING of Australias mineral treasures. For many
wears past, it appears, gold, in the virgin state,
had occasionally found its way to Sydney, and
been sold to jewellers there, but some iniatuaton
always led them to doubt that it Was indigenous
An old prisoner, named M'Gregor, disposed pc
riod;caly Of bits of the precious metal whilst he
was employed as a shepherd in the Wellington
district This man being in prison for debt at
Sydney, when the gold-tiud took place IN 1851,
a party.procceding TO the di@gingS engaged pay
his debts and 10 lberate him, Oil comditlono OF his
biudine himself to them for q term, and giving
them the benefit of his .old-hunting experience
He soon disengaeed himself, however, from this
association and when was at the mines, con
tinues Colonel Mundy, he was supposed to De
lying up in some blind gulley' near ms old
haunts, with countryman, named Stewart Tor
his companion | have heard that III !623-so
far back-a convict Of an ironcd gang, working
on the roads near Bathurst, was ilogGed for ila-
wing in his possession lamp Of rous IN gold,
which the officer imagined must have been the
product Of watches or trinkets stolen or melted
down." Rather hard upon the unlucky trans
port, who had perhaps Clipped the prize out OF
damic pursuits; just as at Bathurst, this time
/ n.,.l
up in the street and smashed with aLacksiniih 5
hammer. This happenedjuSt after tle great find
of the Kerr Hundreilwcght," and helped to
augment the fever which had previously been
su6sdng DR.. Kerr owed his good fortune to
his and his wite's uniform kindness to the abori-
gines. Colonel Mundy heard from his own bps
the story of the find. This was in no out-ot-lhe-
way or rarely-visited spot, but on a gentle slope,
in the middle of frequentGd sheep-walk. The
black shepherd its dscovercr, had passed, perhaps
sat upon, the mass Of treasure--not once, but
hundreds of times The man had long been
there, but the hour had not yet come. AT last
it struck.
Sauntering along, Blackys eye was caught by
gttering speck on a lumpof rock. a clip with
his tonahawk revealed . mass Of pure gold. =
Without thought Of appropriation, he hurried
to his master, who in an instant was Oh horse
back and away-taking saddle-blgs to receive
the spoil. Afterwards, these bays, like everything
and everybody connected with the wonderful
lump, became objects Of great curiosity.
at was amusing to hear that the worthy doc
tor on his long ride homewards with the gold on
his saddle, being compelled to halt at some hu
name habitation for refreshment, had, in order
to avert suspicion from the precious freight lifted
it with assumed ease from his horses back, and
flung it with forced Indifference over rail fence
8 1t seems heavy remarked a bystauder. Full
: of gold, of courser replied the owner, with {
smile, and with more truth than he desired tc
get credit for
VIRGINIA FURs We find in the Parkcrsburgl