Page:Old Westland (1939).pdf/128

108 were carefully prospected and one of the tributaries of the Hollyford he named Pyke’s Creek, in honour of Vincent Pyke, then Warden and Goldfields Secretary, who was later a member of the House of Representatives. He found two coarse specks of gold, but failed to discover more. Caples furnished a very interesting report of his explorations, and also a sketch map, which subsequent surveys proved to be very accurate, considering that his sole equipment consisted of a small pocket compass.

About the same time a party consisting of Messrs. Barrington, Simonin and Farrell made several trips from Queenstown towards Jackson’s Bay with a view to prospecting extensively. On one occasion they endured great privations, one of them being lost for six days, during which time he had no food of any sort. When they again reached Lake Wakatipu they were in a deplorable condition. Constable Winter, the resident police officer in charge, reported that they “presented the appearance of living skeletons.” Barrington stated that he had discovered some quartz reefs during this trip, and a small vessel was built and fitted out to take himself and party back to Jackson’s Bay. On arrival the reef was duly located, but upon examination was not considered payable. Though a great deal of prospecting was carried out but little gold