ASIA + DS 597 .33 .B44 1886a REPORT ON THE SEGAMA GOLD FIELDS. BY ©APTAIN [^. D. BEEStON. SILAM, MAY, 15"" 1886, R''' ^r>-y iy.o^ '^'^^ VELL UNTVERSITY LIBRARY iHACA.N.Y. 14853 fohn M. Echols ColljCLion on Southeast Asia KROCH LIBRARY REPOKT ON THE SEGAMA GOLD FIELDS. BY eAPTAIN f^. D. BEESTON. 8ILAM, MAY, 15"" 1886, SiLAM, May, 15th 1886. The Colonial Seceetaet. Sir. — I have the honor to forward herewith for the information of His Excellency the GoTemor a detailed report of the gold fields of the Segama river. This report is accompanied by copy of my diary from April 23rd last, the previous dates hav- ing been already received by you. In the diary I have from the first refrained from describing anything beycnl the actual work done, the pros- pects found, and the country traversed; as I deem- ed the full account of, and any comment or sug- gestion arising out of the Expedition could be bet- ter put forth after the Expedition should have been fuUy completed, and all results arising there- from properly, and so far as possible, thoroughly ascertained. At the same time I have been most careful in noting from day to day every event of importance. Hence my report will be in a mea- sure a recapitulation accompanied by a full com- mentary on the mineral prospecting of the Segama river by the J*)xpedition under my charge. I may premise that before starting from San- dakan, I had no doubt in my own mind but that with care and research I should be enabled to re- port on the auriferous prospects of the country to the satisfaction of His Excellency, and to hold out the hope of future wealth accruing from this spe- cial source of revenue to the colony ; but I trust that I may be permitted to state (always having in view the results obtained) that my expectations have been more than realized. Consequent on the receipt of your memo of February 12th last, I was ready to proceed to the Segama on the 1 6th of that month. Owing to the strong North Easterly gales which prevailed at that time, although two or three attempts were made, a start was not ef- fected until 10 p. m. on March 4th. The boats of the Expedition however with their Malay crews left via the Trusan for the mouth of the Einaba- tangan river on March 2nd and I found them there all safe on my arrival on the afternoon of March 5th. The party consisted of Europeans, Chinese and Malays fis follows: — Captain Beeston in charge, Mr. H. Walker, Commissioner of Lands, Mr. Ah Chee ( a Chinese Merchant who wished to see for himself what auriferous prospects were to be foxmd on the Se- gama ). Eight Chinese employed to help in pros- pecting. Tnree Chinese Servants. One Sornaiie The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924078409657 Report on the Segnma Gold Fields. and one Malay boy. At the Kinabatangan we picked up eight boats and their Malay crews. Ow- ing to bad weather we were not able to reach the Begama until March 12th and on the afternoon of March 13 th having loaded our boats we fairly made a start up stream, leaving the steam launch " Miidai^* which had brought us some fourteen hours steam up the river which was very low. I may here mention that in the month of Jime 1 883, I reached ( in the same steam launch, then known as the "Al^ed" ) a point some thirty miles higher up the river; but the conditions as to water and obstructions were then totally different. On th;^ morning of March "i 4th I reached the first bed of gravel, and from this point I take up my narra- tive of "prospecting." Prospecting Divisions. For the purpose of a proper description of the portions of the river, which though all gold bearing, or possesing spots containing gold, essentially differ from each other; I, propose to divide the Segama into three differ- ent districts as follows : First. Lower Segama. All that portion of the river bounded by tiie Qualla and the village of Sabanda Punghut, ■which I will designate the "Lower Segama." Second. Middle Segama. The river between Sabanda Punghut's village, and the mouth of the liole Besar, which 1 designate "Middle Segama." Third. Upper Segama. All the river upwards from the mouth of the Bole Besrr to the highest point reached, which I designata the " Upper Segama. " Lower Segama. The auriferous country con- tained in the lower division of the river does not call for much comment. It took me from the 1 4th to 20th March ( both dates inclusive ) to cover the distance, prospecting every likely looking place on the way. On the 14 th and 15th 1 thoroughly tested a piece of gravel, finding colors of gold everywhere; but of a quality known to Australian miners as "floury gold." The specks are small and will fiout on the surface of the water. It is also of a nature that is best described by the dig- ger's aphorism — " It takes a ton of the stuff to make an ounce. " To better enable you to under- stand the extent of the two days working, I refer to my extracts from Diary and the annexed sketch plan mark A. The opinion I arrived at is that the beds here will not pay to work and I may add I was not in the least disappointed when 1 form- ed the opinion. The formation of the country here does not justify the belief in any heavy deposits. Gold Hill. On March 1 6th 1 prospected the locality known as Gold Hill. I can only say it has been most unhappily designated. At the foot of the hill is a large outcrop of Micaceous sand- stone. The hill itself abounds with pieces of float- ing quartz aU — to use a Miner's expressive phrase, of a "hungry" nature. There is no sign of any reef. The quartz is glassy, white and very brit- tle. I tested some by crushing but obtained no result In company with Mr. -Walker I ascend- ed the hill, and procured three bags of "wash dirt" from different places. All this was care- fully washed, the result being not even a color. Batu Tabak. From this point up to the evening of March 17th I saw no signs of any auriferous locality, and early on the morning of March 18th I tried the ground in the vicinity of Batu Tabak. The result was, colors ; no sinking, and nothing to induce me to stay. The rock here is micaceous sandstone with here and there a little black con- glomerate. At two o'clock on this date (March 1 6th ) I reached good looking gravel which show- ed better prospects, but still nothing to induce me to stay. 1 noticed Serpentine in the rock on this date. Higher up I sunk a hole to a depth of six feet bottoming in thick clay. Got specks and nothing more. From this I pushed on to Saban- da Punghut's which place 1 reached at 3.45 p.m. on March 20th. Sabanda I'unghuVs Campong. I would not ad- vise anybody desirous of seeking gold to waste any time below this place. There is nothing to pay, and it would be simply time lost. The rock up to this is all sandstone, with the exception oia Report on tlic Segama Hold Fields. ft^w pluccs where there arc small outcrops of con- glomerate, and in one place Serpentine ; which latter rock by the way is no indication in itself of any mineral locality. No "wash dirt" strictly speaking was met with up to this point. 1 should describe the dii't that held fine gold, as drift, wash- ed doAvn to this lower limit by the force of the current. It most certainly does not exist in the river banks. I did not come across a single coarse speck. Soon after leaving Sabanda Punghut's Campong the formation changes. It is first noti- ceable below the Dusun Campong. At the cam- pong itself, although the beach in front of the river is sand, sinking a few inches will disclose a thick bed of gravel, which gravel contains gold. . and in the country just below the Padong gorge the ■ :. prospector begins to find payable gold. The rock - , through this gorge — speaiing strictly from a dig- :.„. ger's point of view, and excepting the limestone of which the caves axe composed — is conglomer- ate and sandstone, with occasionally granite aU in situ. The pebbles and water worn stones in the river bed are sandstone, granite, jasper, serpeh- tiae, quartz, and a sprinkling of tourmaline. The whole country on either bank in this gorge would p ly >to work, but work must be done systematic- aly and inteUigently. "Fossickers" will doubt- less be able to obtain a living here; but the prizes will only be gained by practised miners who are initiated in the process of deep sinking, and driv- ing along leads at the bottom of vertical shafts. Chinamen who have been used to this work will jio doubt carry it through; but I doubt if the Malay will understand it. Batu Salawak. Just above Bukit Padong is another payable strip of country which continues both above and below iJatu Salawak and reaches up to Pulo Kawak. Fulo Kawak. The country just below Pulo Eawak is highly auriferous, and covers a large area. The gold here is not confined to the bed of the stream, but goes some distance into the banks, which on both sides contain fine beds of cement below which is payable wash, the bed rock being a clay slate, and occasionally conglomerate. I am told this is a favorite spot of the lladjis, but they far prefer to wait for very dry weather and get in- to the river bed. They do not understand, or cannot appreciate deep sinking. The payable area here would provide remunerative work for a large mining population for years to come. Sungei Kawak. The small stream Sungei Ka- wak which joins the Segama from the South con- tains gold and should be worth thoroughly pros- pecting. The Islands. Next above Pulo Zawak are the three islands; Pulo Tis, Pulo Kabeht and Pulo Lit Segama. All the beaches hereabout contain gold and all would pay to work systematically, and from Pulo Lit Segama to the High beach two hundred yards above the Bole river, every beach on either side contains gold, all of them worth working. A spot just below Qualla Bole, some quarter of a mile from the Qualla is a favorite .spot for a few Malays who Jiave been working on the river lately. I found four of them — Japar, Bungar, and others on my upward journey, and they had all done well. The Middle Segama dis- trict will doubtless be filled shortly with a large mining population. Prom the Eest House on the iegama river, Sungei Bole (its highest point) could be reached in four days, and its lowest point near the Dusun village in six or seven hours. Upper iSeffama. From above Ciualla Bole the whole Segama river is one endless chain of pay- able beaches, some richer than others, but invari- ably the gold is coarse, fine specks, i. e. "floury gold" is absent. Taking the localities in their due order in ascending the river there are two beaches, one a notably large one below the Bole Damit, and two about ^ a mile above this stream. These five long beaches, with heavy rocks, and large boulders above and below Pulo Itok Batu. In the Pulo itself good gold is to be got by sinking, there being several beds of cement similar to those existing at Pulo Kawak. It is just above here that the dangerous rapids begin. The whole of the beaches from here to Sungei Berabis ( Palars Pejort on the t^egamn Gold Fields. old campong) contain payable gold, nearly all the beaches being on the right bank of the river. From Palars old campong to the Giant's gates is a journey of an hour and a half's duration. All beaches on either bank are payable but this por- tion of the river will require dry weather and low water. If these essentials can be secured, heavy results will be obtained. Just above the pass a small river comes in on the right bank which is worth prospecting, the gravel at the mouth con- tains gold. liiam Tinaram. Between this place and Riam Tinaram are several beaches, all payable. All this distance from Giant's Gate, and on as far as Sungei liilang is a conglomerate country, and where the beaches' show red jasper boulders or pebbles, it is a sure indication of payable gold. Jn this connection I may mention it would be very hard to prospect any beach in this locality with- out encountering red jasper, which rock in fact .would appear to be an unerring indication of the presence, of gold in the, locality. . . •; ■ . '-.■: ■Tumhadow Indand. "Just below Sungei Bilang' is a large island in the river which for want of any local name I wUl call here Tumbadow Island from the numerous indication upon it of its being a favorite feeding ground for wild cattle. This island is covered with large boulders I could get gold in every dish, but not faii-ly ofp the bottom The sinking is very deep and the water beat me, but this is a locality worth a digger's while to give strict attention to. Sungei Bilang. "When I reached this river it was in flood, and I decided to push on. On my return journey, as will be seen from my diary, it was in the,same condition. I therefore did not waste any time as the weather was threatenin;.!:, and moreover Mr. Walker's report was not cal- culated to convey any very favorable impression of the locality. The Conglomerate Country. Just above the Sungei 13ilang, and for some miles above, comes in a long stretch of river in which the roclc is massive black conglomerate, not in detached rocks, but a continuous 1. formation. Invariably where another roclc intrudes, it is red jasper. Here again is the gold formation, only here the gold can be got not solely on the beaches, but up to and a foot or so in the banlcs. The whole river along this formation would pay to work, and if in the working, this conglomerate should be found to junction with slate, heavy deposits might be look- ed for, more especially in the shape of payable quartz reefs. All this conglomerate country con- tains quartz leaders, the largest perhaps 1^ inches wide, but this rock does not of itself constitute a gold matrix., and to break up a ton of it would not yield a grain of gold. Rocki/ Crenk. Rocky creek is the name I gave to a small stream running in on the right bank and at the north of which 1 camped April 28th and 29th. On the afternoon of the fii'st date 1 got two hours good work just above the mouth on the left bank, but was flooded out by a rise in the river, and heavy rain, 1 went some distance up the river which contains slate rock and picked lip some nice looking pieces of quartz I got gold all up the stream "but. nothing very heavy, still.. I was much impressed with the look of the country. The bed roclc is slate and sinking deep some six to eight feet. Some distance above this is Rapid Island (vide Diary April 30th) 'of which T append a sketch plan, showing where the gold lies. This spot would well repay working. ' The small rivu- let on the North or left bank does not contain gold. Haloosnw. On the evening of April 30th I came to a river on the right bank some fifty feet wide at the mouth, on the Kast bank of which I found a Dyak resting place, evidently used by iTutta hunters. At the mouth on the West bank is a fine bed of cement, and above, this a fifteen feet deposit of soil and drift brought down by the flood waters. This cement is similar to that at Pulo Kawak and Pulo Itok Batu. Just inside the mouth, I got good surface gold (fine) but could not get down, being beaten by water. A mile up the river I got good coarse gold, the rock lloport on the Scgaina Uold Fields. being slate, conglomerate and sandstone. This river must, on a fresh, have a very strong current, and fallen trees of large size, and huge boulders are plentiful. I saw also many tracks as also dung of Elephant and Bhinoceros. This is the river Sabooso-w, but owing to misdirection I did not recognise it and was not aware of the fact un- til so informed by Bajah Tuah of Tabanac, (see diary V This is the best formation I have seen, ' and I cannot but greatly regret the mistake which prevented my throughly prospecting it. All my Malays were quite strangers to tbis part of the country, none of them ha-\'ing been higher than a mile or so above the Sungei Bilang. Sunffei Danan. iJarly on j\Iay 1st I reached the Danan a wide mouthed river running in on the left bank. Just below its mouth — ^rn the Se- 'gama, I 'got good gold, but although I tried for a great distance up 1 got none in the Danan. I tri^ _ ed this river again on my way down, walking a long distance up. The rock is granite and barren sandstone, the banks are strongly discoloured with iron. 1 fancied from the loot of the country and the presence of granite in such quantities^ stream tin. might be present, , but although I waished se- veral dishes 1 got only "titaniferous" " iron, a metal of no value whatever, though often found in a tin bearing country. Alligator Creek. This is a name I gave to a small creek on the right bank, two hours journey above the Danan, owing to having seen a small Saurian at the mouth. I found gold both inside the little stream and on the beaches below. Barrier Falls. From this up, until stopped by beavy rapids which I named the l-iarrier falls, J passed several beaches all containing gold. These falls are impassible for boats, and, if I may use the expression, are three stories high, or perhaps it is nearer the mark to say, there are three rapids '] each overtopping the other. There are rocks here fifty feet above tKe water, and the highest rapid is fifteen feet from the water level, above them the ■ stream runs still and deep, the upward direction being South East. The men told ii:e no boat could face such a fall of water with any chance of success, and I was compelled to admit the impos- sibility of getting further in the boats. Believing however 1 had not reached the Saboosow, and that, from the account in the " British North Borneo HrraW I must be very near it, I decid- ed to take three days pro^dsions and proceed 6n foot to discover the river. I reached a point some sixteen miles above the falls on the second day, when seeing no signs whatever of any other stream, I reluctantly turned back. I came across but few beaches, but they all contained gold. At the highest point reached the river is very narrow, not more than sixty or seventy feet wide. 'I crossed the river waist deep in one place on the second day. 1 returned to the Barrier Falls over the hills and on the May 5th stai-ted on my re- turn journey down sti'eam. Affluents of the Segama. Of the various streams running into the Segama on either bank, those on the left, the Bilang and Danan are not aurif erofis. Mr. Walker tested the former last year and' I could not raise a color in the Danan. "WMe how- ever the affluents on the left bank are barren t)f auriferous' deposits iihe reverse is the case of these on the right bank, and having disposed nf the true Segama, I now come to those streams on which" I am happy to report most favorably. Taking them in their order in travelling up stream, they are as follows: — ^Bole Jiesar, Bole Damit, EockyCredi, Sungei Saboosow and Alligator Creek. Bole Besar. I first entered the river on April 7th (vide diary) and got only colors on the lower beaches. On April Sth I went higher up and got good results, so much so, that I started all hands up this stream on the 9 th with the result that this river contains gold in large quantities. A re- ference to my diary will show 'that on this day four Chinese with a cradle got sixteen penny- weights of gold, worth $17.1:0 or $4.30 per man for the day's work. The Malays were equally successful ( comparatively speaking) with their wooden dishes. This river 1 worked on April 10th and' 11th. On the evening of April 10th, Report on the Segama Gold Fields. Mr. F. G. Callaghan, Assistant Resident of Dar- vel IJay joined me, and on the 1 Ith I showed him the workings at which, and at the results obtain- ed he expressed his unqualified satisfaction. ( )n April 1 2th in company with Mr. Callaghan I pro- ceeded up the river finding payable gold in many places along the beaches. The .Malays I left be- hind working, averaged one hundred and ten grains per man for the day. On April 1 4th 1 sent SaUeh ( mandore ) up the river with four days rice, &c., to report. He returned on the 1 6th having reached a point some six miles high er than I arrived at. Lie reported the country the same all along, and brought me back a few pieces of black rock, which he told me existed in huge masses at the point reached. The rock is of a na- ture which, as a rule, on the Australian Gold Fields, overlies black slate, or graphite, the latter being found at a greater depth. Had time permitted, I should have much liked to have followed this river to its source. ' The rock existing is sandstone, conglomerate ; gra- nite in small quantities, and jasper of a very red colour. The/bed rock is a clay slate. The great feature of this river is that the gold is not confin- ed to the bed, but is found some distance into the bank. To better understand the manner of its distiibution, I append plan ( D ) herewith. J can only here repeat my conviction already ex- pressed in my diary that this river will provide remunerative and profitable employment to a large population for some years to come. Although the water in the river was never, what 1 may call ac- tually low during the time 1 was here, as hardly a day passed without heavy rain, I am of opinion that heavy gold may be found in the centre of the river bed at any favourable time of working, i. e. when the river is very diy. Bole Damit. This river runs into the Segama about a mile or more above the mouth of the Uole Besar. At its mouth is a high sandstone cliff, on the JCastem bank. Some two miles up the river forks, one branch going South "West, the other South East. The gold here is not so much in the river bed, as in the country at the fork of the stream, (see plan H.) One of my Chinamen, an old Victorian digger liked this "show" very much, and told me, he would on his return to Sandakan endeavour to form a "Kongse" to work this country thoroughly. The sinking here will be from eight to twenty -five feet ; and shafts will have to be properly timbered and puddled. The gold is coarse and from the character of the ground I should say that when worked, small nuggets will very likely be f oimd. This river is much smaller than the Bole Besar, but the rock is exactly similar. It is most likely both streams have their rise in close proximity the one to the other in both cases South J-'-ast of their mouths and in the direction of Silam. Rorhy Creek. I went up this stream which is nearly two days journey above the Sungei Bilang on April "J^th and 29th. It not being known to any of my men, and apparently having no name, 1 christened it 1 locky C reek from the rugged ap- pearance of its bed. The rock is sandstone, jas- per and conglomerate, the bed rock clay slate. I went some two uiHes up this rivulet which is much intersected by ravines and gullies, and the country in the neighbourhood very hilly. Gold exists both in the banks and in the river bed. 8ungei Hoboo-vno. In connection "with this ri- ver taking it in its rotation on the npAvard jour- ney, 1 can only here repeat what 1 lifive already said ; regretting that I was prevented through faulty information from thoroughly prospecting the Avhole river. Alligator Creek. This rivulet named from the fact of my seeing a small alligator on the bank, is about tvvo hours journey up stream above the Da- nan. The rock here is the same as in liocky Creek, and payable gold at its mouth, I 'did not follow its stream far. Summary of Gold localities. Summarising so far, I have been able to establish beyond doubt the fact that payable and in places highly remuner- ative diggings exist in the main Segama, from the DuBun Campong up to the highest point reached, IlppoH 071 the t^rffama Gold Fields and that in addition five sti-eams reported on se- parately above, contain gold in large quantities ; all of wliich streams join the Segama from its Southern bank. The actual auriferous area would be impossible to estimate accurately without sur- vey, but beyond all question the I )arvel Bay dis- trict will ere long prove to be one large gold field. Bocks. Having enumerated the different lo- calities containing payable gold, I will briefly mention the principal rocks, premising they are given entirely from a "diggers" point of view and are not intended to be a geological or scien- tific classification. They are few in number and placing them in the order in which they pro- dominate I put them as follows: — 1. Sandstone, 2. Hed Jasper, -S. Black Conglomerate, 4. Granite, : 6. Serpentine, 6. .Slate. Wiere the jasper rocks j '- meet the sandstones, or conglomerate, gold exists ■ ' in payable quantities ; the bed rook being inouri ably clay slate. Granite in situ is found in the Padong gorge, near the Giant's Pass, and above ■ ■ the Danan river, boiulders and pebbles of granite being common on the beaches. Above the Bilang river, black conglomerate exists in large quantities. In one place I walked over a mile along flat rock, the river here beiag very deep and narrow. Slate exists in the upper ■waters and in the Saboosow river. On the sur- • face it is of a purple color and always "on edge." Serpentine pebbles exist in most of the beaches, but 1 saw no large masses or outcrops of this rock. The only other rock a digger as a rule notices is entirely absent in the Segama, namely Basalt, but limestone aboimds, notably in the Padong gorge. The geologist or theoretical scientist could easily subdivide many of these rocks and notably ring in the changes occurring in granitic formations, speaking of syenite, gneiss, hornblende, &c., but as 1 write this report for the practical digger and not from a scientific standpoint, I refrain from elaborating in this direction. Geographical. As the river is known, and charted as far as the junction with it of the Suu- gei Jiilang, i viU confine myself to remarking on the space between that river and the highest point reached by me. A reference to the chart publish- ed by the ( Commissioner of Lands will show that the general run of the Segama river from the Sun- gei Bilang is from West to East until it empties itself into the ocean some fifteen miles or so North West of Tambesan Island. From the Bilang pro- ceeding up the river the direction changes, first to South West, then to South at length making a general line to the South East. The highest point reached by me is by my calculation situated as regards Silam West \ South, distant twenty-five miles, and from Mount Madai North West, distant thirty-eight miles. I may here mention that Mr. Eobertson, Acting Commissioner of Lands, after receiving my field books, has placed my explora- tions on the Land Office Chart to scale, and his plotting coincides with my rough estimate. A sketch plan accompanies this report. My opinion is that at the point from whence I' turned back I could not have been very far from the sources of the liver, and 1 base my conclu- sions from the fact that, on the last days travel- ling especially, the stream was narrowing fast, as narratedinmy diary, I crossedit barely waist deep, and this too with a fresh in the stream after Tain. The banks here are high, the stream itself rocky, and bends frequent, the general direction in a straight line being South East. There can I think be no doubt but that the source of the river exists in the hills to the West or South West of Silam probably between that place and Bukit Madai. From this the inference is that the bins in this locahty contain the matrix from whence the gold is washed down the main Segama by the current and deposited in the gravel in the various beaches. The fact that all the the auriferous af- fluents of the Segama river run in on its Southern bank, and from the direction of the Silam hills, while the Northern streams are barren of payable aureferous deposits, adds considerably to this theory, and I am inclined to beheve all streams, such as the Teng Eaio, the Diwata, the Subun, and numerous others to the Southward of Silam Report on tlie Soganui Guid Fhu'Jx. -will be found on examination to contain gold, wliile the hills most probably, in fact almost to a certainty, contain rich quartz reefs. Quartz. In speaking of quartz I am sony I did not discover any reef during my exploring trip. Floating quartz I saw in large quantities, both in the streams and in the banks, but a true reef I did not meet. This however is not surpris- iiig when the nature of the country is taken into consideration. Every rainy season deposits a fresh layer of soil and alluvial accumulation, which is many feet above the true surface, and consequent- ly quite hinders the finding of the outcrop or cap of any lode or reef. I looked carefully in the va- • rious subsidiary streams and creeks, to find if pos- - sible a lode showing laterally, but was unsuccess- ful. Two experiments 1 have niade with quartz, as I have recorded in my diary were succeprful, I /pounded some in a mortar, and succeeded in get- - ting gold on washing the pounded grit in an or- dinary dish. Very white or glassy quartz is al- most invariably barren ; blue or red veined quartz r auriferous. Roads. The main difficulty, or perhaps 1 should rather say, question to be taken into con- sideration with reference to the future workiag oi -gold in the Segama is means of transit and com- missariat. First to travel. There are two modet open at present. The first to enter the river b\ ■ the Qualla and proceed by boat. This takes time ; - even to reach the first payable beaches u, the mid- - die Segama district. Then there is the road from Tabanac or Silam to Segama Rest House and on -by boat. This route also takes time to reach the ^' same destination. The Tab .1110 road is a good '-'one and -the Rest House on the river most conve- --nient,- but it is too far from the nearest payable '^^rorkings. F-or -the -middle Segama diggings, a ''road from Silam to. -the -Bole Besar, where also a •'■depSt should be established, -vvould 1 think be a -most eligible spot. From here diggers could pro- ■ ceed down stream to work the various spots on th'j "Middle Segama", up stream for the heads of the river ; or are in close proximity for working vjther the Bole Besar or Bole i)amit. For the sourses however the question to set- tle will 1 think, be to find a suitable spot some- Avhere to the Southward of Silam from whence a moderately level road can be made in a "Westerly direction, and a depot established at the Darvel Bay end of the track. These will of course be mattters for consideration in the future, and if the country developes, as 1 expect it will, the dig- gers themselves will find their own tracks from poiat to point after one general route has been es- tablished. Ula.ss of Difigers. 'I'his country in my opinion ■vnll never pay Europeans to " rush " not because the gold is not in sufficient quantities, but for the reason that aU the conditions of life here are en- tirely different to those in Australia or California, . The " white digger " cannot travel or feed him- self according to his peculiar ideas in this coun- try, and would probably ^on lose his health. I j,m of opinion that when once the fact of the ex- istence of gold is known, a. few " white diggers" may come here and make profitable work ; but a i-iish of white diggers in a large body should be liscouraged. The systematic working by shafts and deep siukiag wiU no doubt more eqwcially jngage the attention of the Chinese, and 1 hear jf several Kongsees being ventilated. T je .Ma- lays ■ffoU make good wages and occasional finds in •.working the shallower deposits. During iny prospecting expedition o-wiag to :ime being limited, the only methods of working resorted to, were washing in the dishes and crad- ling; but the Chinese diggers when they go again tell me they intend to sluice the banks taking a- way the country m a "face." General. Jn concluding my report I may men- rion that near the Saboosow river targe tracts of red Serayah trees exist on both banks, and in the country above the liairier Falls, i saw Gutta Suhu trees, some of which.I tapped. T have men- tioned in my diary that the last evening at the heads of the river I noticed large quantities of s»vallow8. It is just pjssible the home of these PiPport on the Segatna Gold Fields. birds is in the nci;]:hbourhood of Mudai and the limestone caves. I have no case of sickness to report during the trip. Two sliofht oases of diar- rhcBa, and sore feet the latter ailment bein':; most impartially shared all round by myself and men beini^ the extent of illness, while two doses of CholorodyTie and a few ounces Vasaline represent all the Medical stores expended. I found the Malay Mandor (Salleh) a clever intelli-jrent man well up to his work and all his men capital boat- men. Of the Chinese two were very good, each of them experienced diggers, one a Califomian the other a Victorian in experience. The others were of no use. The total amount of gold got in prospecting the different localities amounted to two pounds three ounces (fts 2. 3. oz: ) as far as weighed; but more gold than this is still held by some of the men. Of this amount, after buying up one pound for the Government F decided not to buy more, as T considered it might not be want- ed by the Treasury, and in any case the men will have to sell to the Treasurer-General in the long run. Weafhir. As will be seen from my diary T was greatly disappointed in the weather. From Mr. "Walker's experiences of his trip in March, April and' May, 1 8-^5,. I expected to find dry weather, and' tolerably low water in the river, but my ex- pectations were not realized, up to March 29th the weather was fine with little or no rain, although the water in the river was high; but. after that date hardly a day passed without heavy showers; and "freshes" prevented my working many good spots. Above the Pulo Itok iiatu the river was continually high the whole time. I notice Mr. Walker mentions that in April I S(S5 he could not proceed on one occasion on account of shallows. I on the other hand found some some ten feet of water in the spot mentioned, and on my return journey during a half flood the passage of the conglomerate rapids was exceedingly risky owing to tlie violence of the water. None but expert iMalay boatmon used to rapids — as lucidly, all my men were — would have ventured the passage. Wnrkincf. Chinese and Malays differ muf.h in their mode of working. "While the former g()(;.s to work very systematically, always trying to l)ot- tom in the bed rock as far as po.ssible, and using the cradle to wash his dirt; the Malays prefer to get into the water and scoop up wash dirt with a cocoanut shell, the amount of dirt to a dish being on an average ten pounds. In half an hour the average Malay will wash four dishes i. e. furty pounds weight of dirt. In the same time two Chinese working the cradle, one rocking and the other collecting wash dirt, will put through twenty five large buckets or nearly six hundred pound weight. While the Malay acknowledges the superior quality of the cradle, he will not use it, preferring his wooden pan and wet working : thus it speaks well for the deposits that by such a process a Malay can, and han during the Ex- pedition washed four, five, and six pennyweights for his days work. On the other hand when it comes to a. question of travelling by boat, the Malay is master of the situation, the Chinaman no- where. I invariably had to get Malays to help my Chinese in heavy water both going up and re- turning down the river. Rest Souse. On my arrival at the Rest House on my return journey I found everything in good order. I had the boats lifted on to the bank and put away and covered until they may ai^ain be re- quired. In conclusion I would remark that the gold obtained ( two pounds three ounces ) comes from many different localities and was got in ''prospecting". No particular spot was thorough- ly worked. 1 am confident that by sluicing in the Bole had I stopped there a month I could easily have got a hundi-ed ounces of gold. In this river on my retium I left Idick and five men, one a Bugis named Amman, a good worker. This party will be heard of ere long. They were all getting good gold by washing in their wooden ptms. Trusting this report will be considered sa- tisfactory. Yoiu* obedient Servant, E. D. BEESTON.