discovered in the Devon Consols mine near the Black Flag. The specimens
are the finest seen in Perth for a long time. It is about a month a go
since the discovery of the slugs was made, the finders being Messrs.
Harris and Williams, who are representing an Adelaide syndicate. While
following a rich leader they unearthed the Little Joker nugget, weighing
303oz., about six feet from the surface, and a number of other nuggets or
slugs of smaller dimensions. One of these was 73oz. in weight, but it has
since broken up into two nuggets, weighing respectively 39.oz. 12dwt. and
33oz. 13dwt. There is another very handsome nugget, weighing 5loz. 15dwt.
12gr., and three or four smaller ones, weighing under 12oz. The gold is of
a bright yellow colour, with chocolate coloured cement adhering to the
interstices. All the slugs are of a flat shape. The specimens will remain
at the Commercial Bank for a few days, and will be then sent on to
Adelaide for exhibition. Concerning the original finders, Williams is the
son of one of the original finders of the tin deposits at Greenbushes. The
Little Joker nugget alone is valued at over £1,000. Our correspondent, in
sending us particulars of the find, stated that the Little Joker was about
the largest nugget found in the colony. He is, however, not quite correct.
Two larger nuggets were found some years ago in the North-West. One, of
587oz., was picked up by a Swede under the old Broken Hill Reef, at
Pilbarra, about three years ago ; while the Little Hero, 333oz., was
discovered 4½ years ago on the eastern shore at Pilbarra, by Jack Bride,
J. Doyle and party. As to the discovery of the 587oz. nugget, it was kept
very quiet for a long time, but we have authentic information as to it
really having been unearthed.

day a nugget weighing five ounces was found.

RAIN MUCH-NEEDED AT SOUTHERN CROSS.
A private letter received in Perth, and dated Southern Cross, January
22nd, says that unless rain comes in ten days from that date, people would
be compelled to leave the fields.  "The tanks at the 17-mile have given
out," says the writer, "and we are at present carting water from the
Strawberry rocks, 18 miles away; these narrow holes will last us a few
days.  The next place will be the Cockatoo Rocks, 28 miles away, near
Parker's, and I don't know how we're going to cart water for the
population that distance, as the horses will consume most of it making the
journey there and back."

more accommodation for travellers than the other roads.  It is also well
watered, the last rains having given a supply sufficient for the remainder
of the summer.  I met fourteen teams loaded for the fields.

Mr Brook's with the Uphill Company's boiler, was making good progress, and
he should now be close to Parker's range.

I was 50 miles from the field when the rain fell in torrents, coming from
the Eastward.  If the rain has fallen at the Cross, as it fell where I
was, the tanks there must be full.  Messrs.  Reen, Park, and Cameron of
Southern Cross, sent out a party of men 20 miles, to open a soak, and the
report came in that there was abundance of water there, so the Cross has
nothing to fear. [We hear since the soak discovered by the Messrs.  Reen &
Co., immediately dried up on being opened.-ED.]  The tanks were all dry
when I was on the field.

Fraser's started on the 29th.  The battery seems to work well.  The
Central's start in a week's time.

The manager of Fraser's has adopted the plan of blowing out his boiler
every three hours, and cooling down every six days, and washing out.  By
this means he expects to overcome the difficulty arising from the use of
salt water.  He has also solved the difficulty of the amalgam, and can now
treat it on the field.  [It is reported that Fraser's has again ceased
working.-ED.]

There has been some alluvial found at Parker's Range.  The miners are all
waiting for rain and then there may be some good finds made.  So far only
surface fossicking has been done, and the gold appears very patchy.  No
deep ground has been struck, but the general opinion is that there is a
large alluvial field in store for Western Australia.

All the miners are in good health, and are well satisfied.

A permanent water supply is all that is required to make the goldfield a
success.

I return to the field on Wednesday next, and I hope to give you a good
account on my return.

THE RAIN AT YILGARN.

Private intelligence received in Perth yesterday, throws still more doubt
on the question whether the rain reached Yilgarn, the beginning of last
week.  One of the departures from the field reached Newcastle on Saturday,
and he stated that the rain, so far as could be seen, after travelling
from the Nor' West to the South-East had veered round again in an exactly
the opposite direction, and that this took place before it could possibly
have got to Yilgarn.  However, yesterday, the sky in that direction looked
very thundery, and it is hoped that it ended in a fall of rain.

Yesterday, our York correspondent telegraphed as follows:-The Carrying
Company's coach has arrived.  It left several days after Mr Riseley, and
the driver reports that the rain had not reached Southern Cross up to the
time he left, but had only fallen on the road about thirty miles from there.

The following telegram, dated the 9th inst., has been received in Perth
from York: "No rain and Southern Cross up to the 4th inst.  Soak found by
Reen run dry.  Fraser's machinery had to stop work; could not work with
salt water.  The Warden is filling up a 100 gallon tank at the Government
engine to condense the water.  All quiet on fields."