The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1869-09-11
The :. Welcome stranger"

Fhe otfter day tine Geographic wires
flashed through australia the startling
announcement that d nugget had been
nnearthed, the largest ever seen, that it
was heavy lifting for two men to put it
OH dray, that it W ighed about two
thousand ounces, and wag worth about
ten thousand pounds sterling. However
startling it may appear, the story was
perfectly true. The monster nugget was
found at place called Aloliagul, about
eight miles from Dunoliy. A local
paper, the Daaety ISz.press, gives tho
following particulars OF the event
The Dunoliy district, after having
turned out multitude of nuggets thaf
puts every other gold field in the Colony
in the shade, has at length, in the words
Of the Melbourne journals, beat the
world in producing the largest mass OF
gold on record. The Welcome Stranger
was found by two men, named John,
Deason and Richard Oates, on Friday
February 5th, 1869, near the Black
Reef, Bull Dog Gully, Moliagul, a short
distance from Wayman's Reef, and only
about one mile from the, celebrated Gipsy
Diggings. Deason and his mate have.
been working in the ground for several
years past, and, as is well known, had
got, in digging parlance, SO hard up as
to have been refused credit for bag of
flour week or SO ago, and we believe
the very day before the discovery were
reminded by tradesman that they were
indebted to him few shiIlings. Still
they perscvered, until on the day named
Deason, in working round the roots of
tree, at about two inches below the sur
face, struck something hard with his
pick, and exclaimed, On it, wish it
was nugget On STOPPING down to-
examine the obstacle he found it. was tho
object Of his dearest wishes that was
lying at his feet, and it seemed as if the
monster was SO large as to be immovable.
1t was, however, at length released from
its virgin soil, aud carefully removed.
The question then arose as to what was
to be done with it, and the first intention
was to tax. it to Melbourne. When the
men got to Dunolly with their prize,- they
were advised to take it. to the bank, and
forthwith carried it to the London Char
tered. The news of the discovery soon
spread, and the bank was crowded with
eager spectators, among whom were
number of Chinamcn, and constable
was sent for to guard the prize. The
weight in the gross was then found to be
two hundred and ten pounds, and prep
arations were at once made to break the
mass to pieces and smelt it. The np-
pcarancc of the welcome Stranger in its
pristine state was something wonderful.
and it seemed impossible to realize the
fact that SO large a mass of gold could be
collected together in one lump. But so
it was. Many efforts were made to lift
it, and many exclamations Of surprise
expressed at its immense weight and
compactncss. A sledge hammer and
cold ehisels were e-brought into requisition,
and several of the latter broken in the
attempt to reduce to fragments the
Welcome Stranger It was found to be
as solid as it looked, and as chip after
chip and piece after piece was discovered
from it, its appearance was as clean as a
we'll cut Cheshire cheese. At length,
after no less than five hours hammering,
the monster was pounded up and smelted,
the result beng 2,263 or, 10 .pwts., IA
grs. of solid gold, exclusive of at least
one pound weight, which was given by
the delighted finders to their numerous
friends, who were each anxious to retain
/ piece of the largest mass Of gold the
world has yet seen. Over go 900 were
advanced on the nugget by the bank
he final value awaiting the result of the
assay"
A CURIOUS MELoN-In a tract Of
country in the southwestern part of
Africa, distinguished for its dry but rich
oil, gigantic perennial melon has beer
discovered, which is most delicious.
wholesome fruit, and which is largely
by the native inhabitants as
ood. In order that this melon NAV
flourish, it is necessary that It should
trike its roots down through the sand
hirty feet to reach permanent moisture.
This II does, and grows In great lux
'riance where all else is shriveled and
'arched by heat. But this is not all.
I It were simply . huge melon, with
mooth and delicate skin, every one
vould be destroyed by Wild beasts before
hey were half matured. To prevent
his, nature has urmed its outer rind
nth covering of long, sharp, terrible
horns which SO lacerate the mouths
nd noses Of animals that they are glad
lexve them alone In their tempting
reshness. Man, with his hands, and
harp Knives, finds little difficulty In
pening the luscious fruit. The natives
ave 10 necessity for putting fences
boat th6ir melon patches, for tho plants
e selfprotective. Bastor Journal Of
2Ienssstry-
WHERE.-A little boy while coming
- - 4 n - II.