100 flint's FATUEAL HISTOET. [Book XXXIII. 



name of the earth which gives indication of the presence of 

 gold. This done, a bed is made, the sand of which is washed, 

 and, according to the residue found after washing, a conjecture 

 is formed as to the richness of the vein. Sometimes, indeed, 

 gold is found at once in the surface earth, a success, however, 

 but rarely experienced. Eecently, for instance, in the reign of 

 !Js'ero, a vein was discovered in Dalmatia, which yielded daily 

 as much as fifty pounds' weight of gold. The gold that is 

 thus found in the surface crust is known as *' talutium,"^® in 

 cases where there is auriferous earth beneath. The mountains 

 of Spain,-^ in other respects arid and sterile, and productive of 

 nothing whatever, are thus constrained by man to be fertile, 

 in supplying him with this precious commodity. 



The gold that is extracted from shafts is known by some 

 persons as " canalicium," and by others as "canaliense;"^'^ it 

 is found adhering to the gritty crust of marble,^^ and, altogether 

 difi'erent from the form in which it sparkles in the sapphirus^^ 

 of the East, and in the stone of Thebais^^ and other gems, it 

 is seen interlaced with the molecules of the marble. The 

 channels of these veins are found running in various directions 

 along the sides of the shafts, and hence the name of the gold 

 they yield — " canalicium."^* In these shafts, too, the su- 

 perincumbent earth is kept from falling in by means of wooden 

 pillars. The substance that is extracted is first broken up, 

 and then washed ; after which it is subjected to the action of 

 fire, .and ground to a fine powder. This powder is known as 

 ** apitascudes," while the silver which becomes disengaged in 

 the^^ furnace has the name of ^' sudor" ^^ given to it. The im- 



riferous deposits by the name of segullo. He also doubts the correctness of 

 Pliny's assertion as to the produce of the mines of Dalmatia. 



28 See B. xxxiv. c. 47. 



29 We learn from Ajasson that numerous pits or shafts are still to be 

 seen in Spain, from -wbich the Komans extracted gold. At Eiotento, he 

 says, there are several of them. 3" go^j^ meaning "channel gold." 



31 " Marmoris glareae." Under this name, he no doubt means quartz and 

 schist 32 See B xxxvii. c. 39. 33 See B. ixxvi. c. 13. 



34 " Channel-gold " or " trench-gold." 



35 Becoming volatilized, and attaching itself in crystals to the side of 

 the chimney. 



36 Or "sweat." This "sweat" or "silver" would in reality be a 

 general name for all the minerals that were volatilized by the heat of the 

 furnace ; while under the name of "scoria'' would be comprised pyrites, 

 quartz, pctrosilex, and other similar substances. 



