1887 - Pyke, V. History of the Early Gold Discoveries in Otago - CHAPTER III. How Fox was Found, p 105-109

"In August '62, when Hartly and Reilly made known their discovery of gold at Dunstan, I was engaged on the Government Survey near the Horseshoe Bush, my mate being from the same parish in Caithnesshire, Ben Sutherland by name, and about the same age, 24.

"When the Otago Witness containing the report reached us it was carefully read, and you may be sure it made a strong impression on us, so much so that neither of us could sleep until towards morning; and by the first streak of daylight I awoke to find that the load of gold I dreamt I had such difficulty in carrying was my mate Ben, who was lying across my chest, and who was also in dreamland.

"Next day we resolved to try our luck at gold-digging, and left, with the approval of our 'boss,' for Dunedin, buying an old pack mare to take our swags. A few days in Dunedin enabled us to get all we required by way of outfit, and we also got from Mr Ross, then Chief Surveyor, sketches of the best plans then in the office of the Upper Clutha and Lake Districts.

"Our experience on the survey enabled us to make quick time on the journey to Dunstan, passing all we came in sight of, and meeting hundreds on their way back, who of course found that the rush was all a delusion and a snare--in fact, I have heard nothing yet from the Kimberley half so bad as they told us about the Dunstan. We reached the place where the township now stands on Sunday evening, and found a lively row going on between some rough fellows and a storeman about a load of flour just landed, and which he wanted too much per pound for, and they (the miners) wanted for less. At last one or two began to help themselves, when the storeman jumped on to the dray, and, pulling out a pencil, told them to take what they wanted and give him their names, with which he would be satisfied. This stopped the row; the better disposed left, and the others soon followed. We camped on the band of the river half a mile south of the Gorge, and there must have been some hundreds of tents all round us. When about to turn in we heard our nearest neighbour take possession of his tent just behind ours, and soon after someone came and spoke to him, but was not well received, and we expected a fight; but when the man in the tent turned out the other made off, leaving the tent-owner using strong words, and declaring 'he would fight Old Nick or any other white man.' Now nothing in the strict religious training of my partner, and myself was so thoroughly ingrained in our minds as the perfect blackness of the character mentioned, and painting him in white looked so ridiculous that we could not help laughing right out, whereupon a head was thrust into our tent to ask what we laughed at. We offered some excuse, which was accepted with the remark: 'Well, I'm Gabriel Read, and I don't care for any man.'

"On Monday we prospected up the river, next day down the river, unsuccessfully; and on Wednesday bundled up our swags, tied them on the old mare, and when ready to start we took advantage of the short acquaintance we made with Mr. Gabriel Read on Sunday night to go to his tent and ask his advice as to which was the most likely direction to take. This he gave us in a very kindly manner, and it was nearly as follows: 'You go right up the river, and when you go about eight or nine miles you will find a large river joins this one on the opposite side. Now the gold comes down that river (Kawarau) from the slate ranges round Lake Wakatipu. Try and cross the Molyneux when you get beyond Kawarau, and make for those slate ranges; it's there the gold is, and I believe plenty of it.'

"We thanked him, and started, but could find no means of getting across till we reached Wilkin and Thomson's station, at the junction of the streams from Lakes Wanaka and Hawea. We were the first miners there, and getting across, made back towards

the Kawarau with the intention of following up that river, as advised by Mr. Gabriel Read, but when within about eight miles of what is now Cromwell we met a Mr. Hill, who had something to do with putting punts on the rivers, and learning from him that if we wanted to get to Wakatipu we would cut off a long journey by going over the mountain, we started to climb, and after being stuck on the top of the range for three days of heavy rain, we crossed the Roaring Meg at what was afterwards the upper ford, and camped at the head of the Gentle Annie. That same day we went to look for the Kawarau, and finding it, we tried some prospects on the top of what was almost a bare rock, the result being over 6 oz. of very rough gold from a few dishes of stuff. We were told by two sailors who had got so far that the three days' rain when we were on the top of the hill had raised the river over ten feet, and thinking from the prospects we got that something handsome could be done when the river subsided, we resolved to stay. About a week after, there being little signs of the river going down, and having got a little more gold, I started for Dunedin, expecting to meet relatives of my partner and myself from Home, and take them back with me. As they did not arrive I returned, taking with me a 'new chum' named George M'Kenzie, from Tuapeka, and two men from Teviot-- Dan Sutherland and Harry Bowman. On getting back to where my mate, Ben, was (I believe it is called the Horseshoe Bend now) on the Kawarau, it was arranged that, the river being still high, two parties should go prospecting; and Dan Sutherland and M'Kenzie started for the Nevis, going over the natural bridge on the Kawarau, and Ben Sutherland with Bowman started for Wakatipu. I was left to rest after my journey to Dunedin, and to get fresh supplies from Cromwell. In about a week the Nevis party returned unsuccessful, and the next night, just as I had lit a candle, my mate, Ben, rushed into the hut, and I was about to welcome him when he put his hand on my mouth and blew the candle out. This was in consequence of a party who had tracked me from Cromwell, and had pitched their tent near us. Ben directly left the tent, asking me to come after him by-and-bye. Our neighbours heard something unusual, and came in to have a yarn, but left about 10 o'clock, and soon after we had Ben's secret of finding Fox. By 12 o'clock we were on our way for Arrow River, leaving our tent standing, and also 50 lb of flour we could not carry. But I must return to relate how Fox was found. A similar incident is narrated in 'The Story of Wild Will Enderby.'--Book 3, chapter 3.

"The second day after Ben and Bowman left for the Wakatipu they struck the Arrow, and prospected up its banks. When they got to the gorge where the river comes on to the flat, they found that the water extended from side to side, and consequently

concluded that no one was further up the river. Two or three horses grazing on the flat gave them reason to think people were not far off, but they might belong to the station, and under that impression they started for the lake.

"By following the Arrow up to the gorge they missed seeing Lake Hayes. When they got to the station (Mr Rees') they had some dinner, and while discussing it the cook, who was very talkative, said: 'There must be diggers working on the quiet somewhere on the run. There was far more flour and other provisions going from the station to the hut at Lake Hayes than the two shepherds could use,' &c, &c.

"Sutherland and Bowman followed the Shotover to where it comes on to the flat, did some prospecting, and could do well but were not satisfied; so on Saturday they left their tent, &c, and went to see the horses mentioned before, having learned from the station cook that they did not belong to the station. Not seeing anything of the owners, they went on to the top of a small hill standing on the flat, and sat down to have a smoke. While so engaged one of them noticed two men walking down the river up to their waists in the water, and when they got on to the flat they came out of the water each with a piece of rope in his hand, and walked down towards Lake Hayes. My mates lay down, and in about two hours saw the men return, each with a carcase of a sheep, walk into the water, and disappear up the gorge.

"My mates returned to their tent at the Shotover, and next day (Sunday), taking their tent with them, they removed to the Arrow, and on going up about a quarter of a mile through the gorge came on the camp where M'Gregor and Low were camped. Fox was there, and some questions were put by him as to how my mates found the place, how many mates they had, &c, after which he said: 'Well, we are doing well here, and do not wish a rush to take place, and to prevent you from leaving we must tie you up. We will give you plenty to eat, and treat you well, but we cannot allow you to leave.' Sutherland asked him on what authority he would hold them, and the answer was: 'I am Fox, and will take it on myself to prevent your leaving.' Sutherland said: 'You are not Fox. I know him, and had a yarn with him at Kawarau Junction.' This led to a lot of questioning about what like the man was whom he met at Kawarau, during which Sutherland saw the man who said he was Fox coming down the gully, and said: 'Oh, here's Fox!' This was really West, head of the third party working on the Arrow. Fox and West had some warm words about the latter personating Fox, winding up, however, by West--who had met us twice or thrice before, and who had got a rough sketch of our maps from us--speaking in our favour, and ultimately it was agreed that Sutherland should be allowed to bring his mates, but under a severe penalty if he,

brought any more. Hence the precautions taken by us in getting away from Kawarau by leaving our tent, &c.

"It took us four nights to reach the Arrow, as we had to hide all day, and we were very ill from the effects of eating beef, which through ignorance, I had hung exposed to the moon's rays.

"We worked about three weeks before the crowd found us, although two or three parties came just before the crowd, through the rations falling short, and some of us having to go to Kawarau Junction for supplies. We were a very happy lot of diggers. Fox was appointed Commissioner, and gave each man sixty feet frontage to the river. Jumping was not allowed under penalty of having to fight Fox. No secret was made of the quantity of gold got, and each thought he had the best claim. M'Gregor and Low's party, who were the first on the ground, were very quiet. The greatest want was tobacco, and the old tea leaves were carefully sun-dried and smoked. One of my mates, who had managed to preserve a piece of tobacco about the size of a penny, actually refused to give a pipeful for a pipeful of gold.

"We should no doubt have been discovered much sooner, there being a great many hunting for Fox, but the horses being shifted on the flat, and the water filling the entrance to the gully, left no track to show where we were; and the rush ultimately came through what was afterwards called Bracken's Gully and over a saddle into the Arrow. Our party was at the foot of the saddle, and when the first crowd of about twenty got on the saddle and saw us, they came rushing down, but were so excited that they could not speak--they only stared with eyes and mouths open, and after a time gasped out--'Are you Fox?'

"After the rush, and when all the ground was taken up, we took things easier, only working eight hours a day. The time our party was taking out 110 lbs. weight was four weeks and three days. We lost much gold by our way of working, and the next party who worked over the ground was reported as having got 40 lbs. weight. The third party who worked it came with me from Kawarau Junction--one Robert M'Donald, and the other James M'Kay. They cleared £400 each. I have been told that M'Kay is the same who is now the American millionaire, but there is possibly no truth in it. He was a decent, quiet man--a native of the North of Ireland."