The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-07-16
BIG Jumps OF GOLD.
Interesting Incidents that Marked the
Finding of Some Remarkable Papers.

One of the biggest Jumps of gold that
ever was found in the world was the
prize OF party of diggers at Ballaarat
Australia. While working down thoir
claim they had, in the course of their op-
eTations come upon various little mug
gets, which, if they did not lavishly re-
pay them for their labors. at least kept
their hearts beating high with hope.
lhe claim was of an extsnt su ffioient
Tor the twenty--four psrsnns who ccm-
prised the company, and they kept on in
very good spirits until hey had worked
eighty feet, whom, on June II, 1858, the
attention of all in the working was sud
denly arrested and turned in the direc-
tion of an irregular shaped mass, which
was feverishly freed from it's surround
ings.
When at length it was released the dis
coveIers held their breath in amazemsnt
for it was found to be SO heavy that it
was difficult to move it. Visions of
wealth beyond the dream of avarioe"
rose before their eyes in the dimly light
ed working whore this symbol of their
Dreams reality lay before them-a solid
mass of almost pure gold, measuring
about one foot eight inches long by
tive I've inches broad and seven inches
deep. When subsequently scaled 1t
weighed enc hundred sand twenty-fi We
pounds ayoirdupois, of which only ten
pounds were ultimately found to consist
OF foreign matter, leaving nearly l, 6Uo
cubic inches of solid gold all in one
piece, and capable of being minted into
something like 90. $50 sovereigns.
After remaining in Ballaarat for some
time it was sold there for $50, 900 and
transferred to Melbourne, where 1t was
exhibited, and, here the 18th of March,
1853, again changed hands for the price
of its gold, viz, $46 625. 1t came to Lon
don in November of the sans year, and
was melted.
Sometimes solid pieces have been
pluoked up from the surface of the
ground. or just covered by the moss. AT
Hangover. Victoria one of the party of
observers lifted from the moss mass
which, when freed from about forty
ounces OF moss and quartz fragments,
yielded one hundred and eighty eight
ounces of solid gold; and within half an
inch OF the surface, at the same place,
another big lump, Weighing two hun
dred and thirty-six ounces. was dis
covered in 1861.
Now and again the search for the
precious mineral has been varied by
some odd accident. In 1851, at Bendi-
go, an old deserted claim was reocoupieo
and an earthern pillar, which had been
left standing under the impression that
it was needed to keep the roof from fall
ling in, was attacked by thu new tenant
under some happy inspiration, the result
being the dislodgement of a nugget meas
uring twelve inches In length, six inches
in width, and froIn one-half to two in
ohes in thickness. This unlooked-tor
lind was worth about $4,000.
Occasionally. also, III face of SUCCESS
dIggers have quite lost their heads in
their feyerish excitement to hurry of
and realize their spoil. At Ballaarat a
party of four started on claim. and,
after working to depth Of sixty feet.
they suddenly came on a huge nugget.
Without waiting to see whether any SINH
lar good things were lying about. they
went straight to London, where they
sold their prize for $27,500. Hardy had
they left when another party of four
miners who had taken their place found
within few yards of the spot where the
first nugget was discovered two Jumps
of gold, which fetched So, 500.