Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/123

 The Husbandmen ADELAIDE AND VICINITY 97 the copper deposit, but, finding out their mistake, Captain Bagot was forced to pay ^2,210 for the adjoining 100 acres in April, 1845. Before this, however, the mine had been tested. Messrs. Bagot and Dutton worked it for some time, and obtained hicrative returns. In 1845 Mr. Dutton sold his one-fourth interest to an English Company, and some time later Captain Bagot parted with his share to the same buyers. The wealth of this property attracted a considerable population : the nimnber of arrivals over departures in 1844 was 973, and in the first quarter of 1845, 616 ; in the month of August in the latter year 500 persons arrived in the Province. The immediate success of the Kapunda mine caused prospecting to be carried on more systematically, and several new mines were opened on the hills. Shepherds and other employes on the sheep stations began to scan the ground as they pursued their occupations, and in 1845 a discovery, richer than that at Kapunda, was made. This was in what was then known as the Far North — on the Burra Creek. It is said that a shepherd, named Pickett, "accidentally stumbled" on a "lump of copper ore, of almost in- credible richness and purity, cropping out of the surface Rumors were circulated very persistently, but such secrecy was main- tained that "many pretended to regard the affair as a hoax." Application was made for a special survey of 20,000 acres, but, '^'"^"^ '^"^'^^ ^""-' '^^^ considering the scarcity of ready money in the Province, the difficulty lay in securing the requisite .^20,000 cash. The " strivings and rivalries and exciting articles and communications in the papers were unexampled for a few weeks." Two associations were formed to acquire the property, and the first that could raise the money was likely to get the prize ; the fear was entertained that before either could obtain the necessary sum English capitalists would arrive on the .scene. War was waged between the two partie.s, one of which acquired the .sobriquet of the " Nobs," and the other of the " Snobs." The former was composed of capitalists, the latter principally of tradesmen. Mr. William Giles, manager of the South Australian Company, offered to advance ^10,000 if the " Nobs " would make up the remainder, but they refused. Then the tradesmen tried to come to arrangements with Mr. Giles, and, failing, they withdrew from the bank the amount of their united funds in specie, so as to prevent the other side from having the use of it. II