222 Audubon^s Western Journal 



the digger opens a pit, ordinarily four to six feet 

 deep, but sometimes only the top soil has to be 

 removed before the digger can commence wash- 

 ing; this depends on whether he comes to soil 

 tenacious enough to hold the gold, and keep it 

 from sinking down through light, sandy, or porous 

 soils, until it meets with a formation which pre- 

 vents it from going deeper into the earth. Some- 

 times in such places are found large deposits 

 called "pockets," and doubtless there are still many 

 to be discovered. When suitable soil is found the 

 digger takes a panful for washing, and with doubt 

 and anxiety goes to the nearest water to see if his 

 "hole" will pay. He stirs the earth and sand in 

 his pan around, until all the soluble part floats off 

 over the sides of the pan, which is kept under 

 water; he then begins shaking backwards and for- 

 wards with a regular movement what is left in 

 his pan, to settle what gold is in it; the gold sinks 

 and all the lighter gravel is tipped to the sides, 

 and the gold is quite below all except the black 

 sand, so like emery that when the gold is very fine 

 it is a great drawback, and difficult to separate. 

 Should the digger find gold enough to warrant 

 his washing the clay at the bottom of his pit, and 

 thereby gaining half an ounce a day he goes on 

 washing, but grumbles at his hard luck, hoping 

 that as he gets deeper in his hole he will get richer 

 also, and that when he comes to rock, he may find 



