ioihe Kurlh Carolina Gold ^Lnc Cumpamj. 263 



The gold of our land is perfectlv pure, and recinires no re- 

 fining. I visited Mr. Read's mine, and found that bv amal- 

 gamation with quicksilver, which is very easy, and which 

 answers completely, a great quantitv of cold is obtained 

 from the sand, after picking ont all the lump gold. I was 

 informed thcv got about six or seven oiuices at a distillation, 

 several times a week, from a very small still. I afterwards 

 visited the mines of Mrs. Parker and Mr. Harris. Thcv lie 

 in a hill that intersects the company's land. Mr. Harris, in 

 ploughing across a small branch in his land, turniid up a 

 good sized piece of gold. Having no regular weights, be 

 tried it in a pair of scales against a pevi^ter plate and spoon, 

 which it outweighed. He then searched the run, and was 

 successful in finding gold. 71iis little branch runs immedi- 

 ately into the company's land, lying between it and Mrs. 

 Parker's. But it was dry, and I consequently made no 

 search in it, nor in any of the branches on that side, though 

 I heard of gold being found in several. 



Mrs. Parker's mine was discovered in a very uncx})ected 

 manner. Hearing of several discoveries, she said in a jokino; 

 manner to some company while drinking tea with her, 

 *' I wish, gentlemen, any of you could find a goid mine in 

 my land." On wliich Mr.Etherton said, "I will go, madam, 

 and search for you." He went, and in a little time returned 

 with a very eood specimen. After this they found si.x hun- 

 dred dollars worth, and this season three hundred more, 

 though they had not yet prepared any apparatus for even 

 washing the gravel and sand. They were making a small 

 wooden machine when I was there. 



I cannot pretend to give an account of all the places 

 where gold has been discovered in the groui>ds belonging to 

 the company, for it will take some time before they can be 

 sufficiently explored, and but few of the streams and small 

 runs have been searched in the slightest manner. Every 

 place examined, thou<ih some lie many miles apart, has 

 furnit^hed gold, except one, and that had hut a very slight 

 examination, and perhaps not deep crwjugh. Among the 

 principal places that promise well, from the sn)all trials 

 :nade, I must mention the Rock-hole creeks, which are 



branches 



