▁In ▁early ▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁a ▁mission ary ▁found ▁all uv ial ▁gold ▁about ▁ 4 0 ▁miles ▁in land ▁from ▁Port ▁M ores by . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁the ▁Col on ist , ▁then ▁owned ▁by ▁Mr . ▁White , ▁put ▁together ▁the ▁first ▁major ▁prospect ing ▁party ▁to ▁travel ▁to ▁Port ▁M ores by ▁via ▁Cook town ▁with ▁about ▁ 2 5 ▁prospect ors ▁trav elling ▁from ▁Sydney ▁and ▁about ▁another ▁ 1 0 ▁being ▁on loaded ▁at ▁Cook town . ▁They ▁were ▁described ▁as ▁" h aving ▁a ▁firm ▁determ ination ▁to ▁give ▁the ▁reports ▁of ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁gold ▁at ▁New ▁Guinea ▁a ▁fair ▁trial ▁for ▁six ▁months . ▁They ▁each ▁ship ▁about ▁five ▁c wt ▁prov isions ▁and ▁out fit , ▁and ▁many ▁of ▁them ▁are ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁guns ▁and ▁other ▁def ensive ▁weapons , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁with ▁the ▁app li ances ▁for ▁prospect ing ." ▁The ▁sea ▁journey ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁take ▁ 2 5 ▁days ▁or ▁so . ▁The ▁prospect ors ▁grouped ▁together ▁in ▁parties ▁of ▁five ▁or ▁so , ▁and ▁were ▁all ▁pay ing ▁for ▁their ▁own ▁passage ▁( about ▁£ 1 2 ▁each ) ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁being ▁" p ract ical ▁min ers , ▁and ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁them ▁have ▁means ▁of ▁their ▁own ▁so ▁that ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁of ▁failing ▁in ▁their ▁search ▁they ▁will ▁not ▁dest itute ▁if ▁they ▁return ▁home ." ▁ ▁Upon ▁reaching ▁Cook town ▁the ▁ship ▁took ▁on ▁additional ▁prov isions . ▁"