The Crown Mine Cuttle Cove, Preservation Inlet Fiordland Archæological Survey for the Department of Conservation Southland Conservancy New Zealand Archæological Association Site No B45/58 (S165/103) P.G. Petchey Southern Archæology Ltd Dunedin 2009 2 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................3 Introduction................................................................................................................................4 General Geographic Description ................................................................................................4 Field Survey ...............................................................................................................................4 History of the Crown Mine ........................................................................................................7 Previous Archæological Survey Work .....................................................................................10 Archæological Evidence ..........................................................................................................10 Battery Site...............................................................................................................................12 Pipeline & Water Race.............................................................................................................13 Mine Workings ........................................................................................................................13 Adit A ..................................................................................................................................13 Adit B ..................................................................................................................................14 Adit C ..................................................................................................................................15 Adit D ..................................................................................................................................16 Adit E...................................................................................................................................16 Adit F...................................................................................................................................16 Adit G ..................................................................................................................................16 Adit H ..................................................................................................................................18 Adit I....................................................................................................................................18 Winding Drum & Mining Equipment ......................................................................................19 Discussion ................................................................................................................................20 References................................................................................................................................21 3 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Acknowledgements A number of people assisted with the preparation of this survey report. Rachael Egerton of the Department of Conservation organised the trip to Preservation Inlet in order to carry out the survey, assisted in the field, and provided copies of previous site visit reports held by the Department. Bob Walker and Mark Peychers, of the Department of Conservation vessel Southern Winds provided excellent hospitality and transport to the site. The Department provided logistical support for the survey 4 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet The Crown Mine Preservation Inlet Archæological Survey 2009 P.G. Petchey Southern Archæology Introduction This report was carried out for the Southland Conservancy of the Department of Conservation (DOC) to record in detail the physical remains of the Crown Mine in the Preservation Inlet area of Fiordland National Park (Figures 1 & 2). Gold had been found at Cuttle Cove in Preservation Inlet in 1893, and the Crown Mine operated there from 1906 to 1909. Little remains of the battery, but numerous mine workings are located in the stream gullies above the battery site. The Crown Battery is located at NZMG 2019542/5441493. General Geographic Description Preservation Inlet is situated in Fiordland National Park, at the south-western extremity of mainland New Zealand (Figures 1 & 2). This is an area that is without roads or other infrastructure, and is generally hilly or mountainous, with forest or scrub cover at lower altitudes. The Crown Mine is located in Cuttle Cove, on the eastern side of preservation Inlet. The cove is about 1km north to south. A whaling station was established in the cove in 1829 by Peter Williams (Begg & Begg 1973: 158-159), but this was long abandoned by the time gold was discovered there in 1893. A number of gold mining claims (hard rock, as opposed to alluvial) were applied for in the Preservation Inlet area in the 1890s, generally along a north-south alignment running through the site of Te Oneroa. The claims as they were recorded in 1898 are shown in Figure 4. Research is currently underway in the Geology Department, University of Otago, and at the Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences on the geology and mineralisation of the area. Turnbull & Allibone (in prep) are examining the regional issues, while Donna Falconer (in prep) is examining the local mineralisation. Field Survey The field survey was undertaken by Peter Petchey of Southern Archæology and Rachael Egerton of the Department of Conservation in May 2008, working from the Department of Conservation vessel Southern Winds. The location of the site was determined using a Garmin 12 hand-held GPS unit. Internal detail of the mine complex was recorded using conventional tape-and-compass methods. Archæological features were photographed on film, and the negatives are held by Southern Archæology. 5 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Figure 1 Map showing the location of Preservation Inlet in Fiordland, south-west New Zealand. 6 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Figure 2 Preservation Inlet, showing the locations of the main historic gold mines, including the Crown Mine. 7 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet History of the Crown Mine Hard rock mining in the Preservation Inlet area began in 1892 when a gold bearing reef crossing the bed of Wilson River was discovered when James Smith, one of a party of miners working the river bed for alluvial gold, felled a tree on the north bank of the river, which fell and uprooted a tree on the south bank (AJHR 1893 C3: 88). The lode that was exposed showed signs of being very rich, and a hand crushing on site yielded 4dwt. 4gr. of gold from 12lb. of quartz, equivalent to a return of over 36oz. to the ton (AJHR 1893 C3: 88). However, this was a hand-picked sample from a particularly rich shoot of stone. The inspector, H.A. Gordon, cautioned that “it must, however, be borne in mind that the shoots of rich auriferous quartz do not, as a rule, run for a long distance” (AJHR 1893: 88). Nevertheless, the expected richness of the find generated considerable interest among prospectors. Miners deserted alluvial workings on nearby Coal Island for the new find, but prospectors from further afield were warned off due to the extremely difficult access. The Government sent Constable Green from Invercargill to Preservation to report on the situation there. He reported that the miners were cagey about revealing details of the quantities of gold recovered, and also noted the lack of accommodation and supplies for travellers in the area (Watt 1971: 33-34). On the northern side of Preservation Inlet, a reef was found in Cuttle Cove in 1893 by Cullen and Clarke, and a trial shipment was sent for testing. The reef was inspected by a Mr. Hooker, a geologist and mining engineer who had come from Queensland to inspect the Pegasus tinfields on Stewart Island. The reef appeared to be 10ft. thick, with many veins and leaders, and was estimated to run for at least half a mile (Otago Witness, 26/1/1893:15; Tuapeka Times, 18/1/1893: 2). A series of claims were rapidly pegged out along the line of the reef, and although it did not meet expectations, activity continued in the area. Further discoveries were made in February 1894 and February 1895, the latter on the St. George Claim (Otago Witness 1/3/1894: 13; 21/2/1895: 17). In May tenders were called for a 100ft. drive, and reports later in the year confirm that tunnelling work was proceeding (Otago Witness 16/5/1895: 20). But by mid-1896 work seems to have ground to a halt (Otago Witness 28 May 1896: 16). However, prospecting continued, and Professor Black visited the area to report on the reefs (Otago Witness 20/1/1898: 26; Watt 1971: 52). In 1899 a manager was sent to the Golden Cave claim at Cuttle Cove (Watt 1971: 65), and later in the year the Golden Cave Company was reported to be driving on the lode to the south-west of the old winze (Otago Witness, 13/7/1899: 22). Early in 1901 a group of miners offered to work the Cuttle Cove reefs on tribute, with the stone to be crushed at the Morning Star battery. Initially 4 tons of stone was crushed, but work then stopped due to the high prices being charged by the Morning Star Company. A better rate was negotiated and work recommenced, and several chains of tramway were built to transport the stone to the water’s edge (AJHR 1903 C3: 114; Watt 1971: 69). In June 15.5 tons of ore was put through the Morning Star battery, and yielded 15.5dwt to the ton. This was not economic to process while the ore had to be transported across the inlet, but was thought to be profitable if a battery was set up in the Cove (Otago Witness 3/7/1901: 57). In 1906 a new reef was reported at Cuttle Cove, which assayed 8oz to the ton (Otago Witness, 1/8/1906: 26). The Crown Company was formed to work a 90 acre claim, and ten men were employed driving (Watt 1971: 74). The old Bella Quartz Reef battery from Wapori was purchased and dismantled to be shipped to Cuttle Cove. By March 1908 the battery was in place. The annual Warden’s report described the state of the mine in 1908: A great deal of work has been done about the surface on numerous small, rich leaders. A low level has been driven to crosscut the mineral belt and gain several hundred feet of backs. The work is being well carried out. Timber is plentiful and well used. Suitable magazines provided. A five-head battery, formerly on the Bella 8 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet quartz reef, Waipori, was shifted to Cuttle Cove and re-erected there. A first crushing is expected early in 1908 (AJHR 1908 C3: 35). The Otago Witness reported that the battery started crushing in March 1908, and also mentioned that tramways had been built and that the battery was powered by a Pelton wheel (Otago Witness, 4/3/1908: 30). By August 1908 some gold was being sent back to Invercargill, although the comment in a newspaper “considering the pluck shown by the company in carrying on amidst discouraging circumstances, these improved prospects are well deserved” (Otago Witness, 19/8/1908: 28) suggests that the mine had not been particularly productive. In August 1909 the Crown Battery was even processing some stone from the Morning Star Mine due to the Morning Star Battery being ‘out of gearing’ (Otago Witness, 18/8/1909: 28). However, in 1909 or 1910 the battery suffered damage from tree falls, which was reported as requiring “time and money to repair” (AJHR 1910 C3: 54), suggesting that the damage was serious. In 1909 the warden reported that the mine had been closed down indefinitely, and in September 1910 the mine was sold to George Holloway, who apparently did some development work, but little more was reported (AJHR 1909 C3: 37; 1911 C3: 50). The mine probably shut down permanently at about this date. Most battery equipment was removed at some later date, although the timber battery frame was left on site. The Crown Mine therefore only operated for a year or two, and never seems to have made particularly good returns. 9 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Figure 3 Mining Claims in Preservation Inlet in 1898. The Crown claim is shown on the shore of Cuttle Cove. (AJHR 1898) 10 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Previous Archæological Survey Work The Crown Mine has previously been recorded as archæological site B45/58 (S165/103). It was originally recorded by J. Cave in 1979, with additional records made by Kim Morrison in 1981 and 1984 (NZAA Site Record Form; DoC Conservancy database of archæological sites) No map appears to have been made of the site, but the main elements of battery site, mine drives and pipeline/water race were all described. These descriptions were used to guide the 2008 survey work. Archæological Evidence As the historical account above outline, there were a number of mining attempts in Cuttle Cove, although only one battery, the Crown, was erected. Therefore associating the remains of the battery and the nearby underground mines with the Crown Company of 1906 is straightforward. Identifying what mining evidence in the area belongs to the earlier undertakings is not so easy. One mine drive (site B45/27, previously S165/72) is located to the south-west of the Crown Mine, and is possibly the drive dug in 1901 that had several chains of tramway. Undoubtedly more mining evidence lies hidden in the dense bush cover. The Crown Mine evidence consists of the battery site, underground mine workings (entrances to mine drives), scattered equipment (a winding drum and numerous lengths of tramway rail), and the water race and pipeline that brought water to the battery site to provide power. The layout of the mine complex is shown in Figure 4. As stated above, the Crown Battery is located at NZMG 2019542/5441493. 11 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Figure 4 Plan of the Crown Mine complex. Tape & compass survey, 2008. The mine complex is located within two gullies on the shore of Cuttle Cove. The main stream gully runs approximately east-west, and where it meets Cuttle Cove a small steep-sided embayment has been cut out of the cliffs. The battery site was located in this embayment. The mine adits are located up the main gully and on the western side of a side gully that meets the main gully about 130 metres from the shore. The water race and pipeline that supplied water to the battery site were located on the hillside to the north of the mine workings. 12 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Battery Site The battery site is located in a steep embayment in the coastal cliff where the stream meets the Inlet. Little now remains of the battery structure other than its foundations. There is enough present to determine that it was a five stamp mill with a timber A-frame (see Figure 5). The stamper battery was located in about the centre of the embayment, and the stream that runs through the site will probably eventually wash the structure away. The timbers photographed by Hall-Jones in 1982 (page 27) are no longer evident. In 1982 K. Morrison recorded the A-frame timbers that still existed then as ‘collapsed squared timber supports lying on the ground (2 triangular supports, one with both arms 3.1m long, the other with arms 1.8m long and 2.1m long).’ He also recorded a guide timber for the stamper rods with 5 grooves, each 9cm wide and 17cm apart. Figure 5 The remains of the battery frame. The iron brace on one A-frame leg is on the left, and the timber baulks to support the mortar boxes are covered by ferns and debris in the middle of the picture. On the south side of the embayment there is a raised level area under an overhang in the cliff. Some broken glass in this area indicates that it has been used for some purpose, and it is likely that an office or other structure would have been erected there. This battery was originally powered by a Whitlaw turbine when it was situated at the Bella Reef, Waipori, but the turbine was left in place when the battery was moved in about 1907, and a Pelton wheel was used at Cuttle Cove instead. No sign of the Pelton wheel or its location was observed, but ample water pressure would have been provided by the pipeline that leads down the hillside above the battery site (discussed in detail below). 13 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Pipeline & Water Race The battery water supply was drawn from two small streams by a water race and pipeline system. The water races came from the stream that runs past the mine and battery, and the next stream to the north. The two races converge at the head of the pipeline down to the battery (Figure 4). The top section of this pipeline was 13 inches in diameter (Figure 6), and is still (in 2008) relatively intact. Further down the pipeline was reduced to 11 inches, then 9 inches, and finally 7 inches in diameter, but these smaller sections have largely collapsed due to corrosion. The lower 20 to 30 metres of the pipeline has also largely fallen into the stream. Figure 6 The top end of the pipeline, where water from the feeder race entered the pipe. The pipe at this point is 13 inches in diameter. Mine Workings The mine workings are scattered up the gullies above the battery site. A number of the adits are cut into the rock faces at the bases of waterfalls, and the lowest adit (Adit A) is in just such a location at the battery site itself. Adit B is on the hillside above the true right of the stream, Adits C and D are at the base of a cliff beside another waterfall, and Adits E to I are on the hillside on the north-west bank of the side gully. All of these workings were recorded in 1984 by K. Morrison (NZAA Site Record Form, S165/103). Other adit entrances are likely to have existed, but now be collapsed and obscured by vegetation, and the ultimate extent of the underground workings is not known. Adit A Adit A is located at the base of the cliff at the battery site. At its entrance it is 2m high and 1.6m wide. The first section of the drive bears 234° (magnetic), and continues for 64 metres until a rock fall. The drive continues past this fall. 14 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Figure 7 The lower waterfall and Adit A at the Crown Battery site. The adit mouth is to the left of the waterfall. Figure 8 The entrance to Adit A beside the lower waterfall. Adit B Adit B is located on the true right bank of the stream, 80 metres west of the battery site. The entrance is still open, although it has migrated upwards due to the roof falling in. The start of the drive bears 168° (magnetic). In 1982 Morrison entered the drive, and described how it ran for about 15 metres then forked, but there was much fallen rock (DoC database of archæological sites). 15 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Adit C Adit C is one of two adits (see also Adit D) at the base of a waterfall 130 metres upstream of the battery site. The entrance measures 1.8m high and 1.5m wide, and bears 270° (magnetic) before turning left. Some very rotten timber mine props remains standing in the drive (Figure 10). A large amount of mullock on the true right bank of the stream is possibly associated with this drive (see Feature 3 on Figure 4). Figure 9 The upper waterfall and the entrance to Adit C (left of waterfall). Figure 10 Looking into Adit C, showing the remains of the mine props. 16 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Adit D Adit D is also located near the base of the waterfall 130 metres upstream of the battery site. It is slightly higher than Adit C, and a mullock heap/barrow way extends out in front of the drive entrance for about 20 metres. The entrance to the drive has partially collapsed, and is obscured by a fallen tree. The drive is 2m high and 1.5m wide, and bears 302° (magnetic) before turning to the right. Some timber mine props remain standing (Figure 11). Figure 11 Looking into Adit D, showing the remains of the mine props. Adit E Adit E is one of five adits (E to I) located on the true right bank of the side gully off the main stream gully. The entrance to the adit itself has collapsed, but the 12m long mullock heap that has been built up on the hillside suggests that it was a reasonably long drive. Adit F The entrance to Adit F is partially collapsed, but the drive appears to descend steeply, suggesting that it might be a rise from a lower level. It appears to bear 257° Adit G Adit G is linked to Adit F on the surface by a levelled area or track. The entrance to the drive is along a 6 metre cutting, that bears 270° (magnetic) (Figure 12). The drive intersects a crosscut that runs at 140° (magnetic), that still has some timber mine props standing (Figures 13 & 14). To the south this crosscut runs for only a short distance, but it appears to continue further to the north. 17 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Figure 12 The entrance to Adit G. Figure 13 Looking into Adit G, with a crosscut visible approximately 6 metres in from the adit portal. Timber props can be seen in the crosscut. 18 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Figure 14 Looking to the south in the Adit G crosscut, with some mine props still in place. Adit H Adit H was situated on the hillside below Adit G, but the entrance has collapsed. Adit I Adit I is situated on the hillside above Adit E. It is a very short drive that bears 328° (magnetic). It is 1.6m high and 1.9m wide. 19 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Winding Drum & Mining Equipment In addition to the mine workings and battery site, there was also a small amount of mining equipment scattered about the site. Most of the material that was observed was in the stream bed above the battery site. About 20 metres upstream of the battery site (above the lower waterfalls) is a scatter of iron rails and pipe in the stream bed. The pipe is probably from the main pipeline to the battery, and has fallen from the hillside above. The rails are tramline rails from the drives further upstream. Benched tracks built up from mullock are to be found below Adit B (on the true right of the stream, Feature 4 in Figure 4) and in front of Adit D. One hundred metres upstream from the battery site is the iron framework for an ore bucket (Feature 2 on Figure 4), and 10 metres above this is a cast iron winding drum with timber slats still in place (Figure 15, and Feature 1 on Figure 4). Near the drum is some more ironwork of unknown use. Figure 15 The cast iron winding drum with timber slats still in place. The overall length of the drum is 4ft. 6in. (1.37m), and maximum diameter across the flanges is 3ft. (0.91m). 20 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet Discussion The Crown Mine is a small mine complex in a remote area, and in general is reasonably intact although the very steep and overgrown nature of the country makes it hard to explore. The proximity of the battery site to the shore has meant that all of the ironwork from the battery has been removed, but the battery location is still easily identified. However, the decay of the timbers and evidence of recent high stream flows mean that the remaining evidence of the battery structure itself is deteriorating relatively quickly. The underground workings that were identified include a number of open drives complete with timber props, although all must be regarded as now being very dangerous. The visible evidence does indicate that a reasonable amount of work was done at this mine during its life. The water supply system is still identifiable, although the iron pipeline has largely decayed away apart from the very top section. In the main it was traced by following the rust trail and the remaining flanges (which are more robust that the pipe itself). The other evidence found, including the remains of tracks, tram rails in the stream, the ore bucket frame and the winding drum, provide some indication of how the mine infrastructure worked. The very steep nature of the ground meant that tramways could only have been used for transporting ore for part of the required distance from some of the lower drives. It is likely that a short aerial cableway was employed to lower ore from the upper levels and/or down to the battery. The focus of the survey was on the mine system, and no hut sites or other structures were found. However, it is likely that the miners and battery workers would have lived a short distance to the south behind the beach at Cuttle Cove, where the whaling station was set up in the 1820s. This site provides level living areas and water from the stream, and would have been much more pleasant than attempting to live on the hillside near the mine. This is a site that few people are likely to visit, due to the difficulty of access and limited remaining visible evidence. There are relatively few artefacts that would require ongoing conservation input. The major remaining features are the open adits, but these are unsafe and are therefore not suitable for visitor access other than viewing from the surface. The site is however a valuable element in the wider Preservation Inlet historic mining landscape, which tells the story of a brief period of industrial development in this now unpopulated region. The Crown Mine is also an example of one of the links with other goldfields, as the battery was relocated from the Bella Reef at Waipori in Otago. 21 Crown Mine, Preservation Inlet References Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives. Begg, A.C. & Begg, N.C. (1973) Port Preservation. Whitcoulls Ltd., Christchurch. Department of Conservation (Southland Conservancy) Database of archæological sites. Hall-Jones, J. (1982) Goldfields of the South. Craig Printing Co. Ltd., Invercargill. Otago Witness (Newspaper, Dunedin) Tuapeka Times (Newspaper, Lawrence) Watt, J.O.P. (1971) Preservation Inlet. Times Printing Service, Invercargill. Abbreviations AJHR cwt. dwt. lb. oz. Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives Hundredweight Pennyweight Pound Ounce