Atherstone suspects the first nugget was salted; Dunn says it was worked by human hands

1872 · local · Prince Albert

Atherstone suspected Californian or Australian gold planted on the farm; Thomas Bain disagreed and could say why. Dr E.J. Dunn examined the nugget and reported it "bears conclusive evidence of having been in human possession prior to discovery... broken off by human agency - this never occurs in alluvial gold." | [1 Aug 2026] THE 1872 DATE BELONGS TO ATHERSTONE'S REPORT, NOT TO DUNN. The source has Dunn travelling out with the 1871 party AND being "later sent to the area" by Barry and Nephews of Port Elizabeth, which is when the quoted verdict was given. It gives no year for that return, so none is asserted here.

Who was there: 2 people

• 1814 William Guybon Atherstone
• · Dr Edward John Dunn

Everyone the record names at this occasion. Who stood together is the clearest surviving evidence of which families were close to which, if you know of others who were here, this is the page they belong on.

Sources

• Rose Willis & Doreen Atkinson, "Zeekoegat: Explorations in the Koup Karoo" (2022) 38pp cameo

Told in

• subject The Prince Albert gold rush