GOLD 705 



Drakensberg mountains, and falling into the still larger and longer Orange river. 

 Some dissatisfied Boers, seceded from the Cape Colony and elsewhere, resolved to form 

 a " South African Kepublic," took possession of the country on the other side of the 

 Vaal, and christened it the " Transvaal." The river in winter is fordable at frequent 

 intervals ; but when in summer it rises, or, as the Boers say, " comes down," it forms 

 a rapid broad stream, very dangerous to cross. 



* Before this letter can reach England you will have published some accounts of the 

 finds of gold, so that I shall not now go much into detail. The latest news is that 

 13 Ibs. were found in one hour in a single claim, the largest nugget weighing 4 Ibs. 

 This gold was brought down to Kimberley diamond-fields on Christmas -day, and has 

 excited much admiration. I know, as facts, of the following finds : In one week a 

 party dug out 15 oz. ; next week, 34 oz. : another party 100 oz. in four weeks, and so 

 on. The present number of diggers is about 500, but fully 800 are now on their 

 road from Kimberley. I have private letters from "Pilgrim's Best" the latest 

 rush also of a highly satisfactory character. 



'Now, what does all this portend ? The clearest way, perhaps, will be to summarize 

 the situation, as follows : 



' The whole of South Africa is at this moment in a highly prosperous condition ; 

 money is plentiful, and, generally speaking, everyone is well off. Our banks, our 

 steamship-companies are flourishing ; and although this may not prove to be a second 

 Australia or California, there is a pretty firm conviction that South Africa is likely to 

 be a very important appendage to Her Majesty's empire. Everyone is in good spirits, 

 because it is felt that, at length, South Africa will be better appreciated and under- 

 stood at home. 



' The present diggings at Leydenburg are situated in about lat. 25 S., long. 31 E. ; 

 Cape Town is in lat. 34 S., long. 18E.; Algoa Bay, lat. 34 S., long. 26 E. ; 

 Natal, lat. 30 S., long. 31 E. So that the approximate distances from the three 

 ports are : Cape Town, 1,200 miles ; Algoa Bay, 800 miles ; Natal, 400 miles. 

 Delagoa Bay must for the present be left out of the question, until the French arbi- 

 tration is settled, and until a railway is run through the unhealthy belt.' 



It is well known that gold is also found in Western Africa, along the * Gold Coast/ 

 and some fine examples of nuggets of this gold were brought to this country at the 

 conclusion of the late war (1874). The nuggets were, in most cases, associated with 

 a ferruginous earth, giving a ruddy colour to the gold. An analysis of this Ashantee 

 gold, by Professor Church, is given on p. 687. 



Gold in South America. During the last, and the commencement of the present 

 century, the richest gold mines were found in South America. It occurs there princi- 

 pally in spangles among the alluvial earths, and in the beds of rivers ; more rarely in 

 veins. 



The gold of Mexico is in a great measure contained in the argentiferous veins, so 

 numerous in that country, whose principal localities are mentioned under the article 

 SILVER. The silver of the argentiferous ores of Guanaxuato contains one 360th of its 

 Weight of gold ; the annual product of the mines being valued at from 2,640 to 3,300 

 pounds avoirdupois. 



Oaxaco contains the only auriferous veins explored as gold mines in Mexico ; they 

 traverse the rocks of gneiss and mica, slate. 



All the rivers of the province of Caracas, to ten degrees north of the line, flow over 

 golden sands. 



Peru is not rich in gold ores. In the provinces of Huailas and Pataz, this metal is 

 mined in veins of greasy quartz, variegated with red ferruginous spots, which traverse 

 primitive rocks. The mines called pacos de oro y consist of ores of iron and copper 

 oxides, containing a great quantity of gold. 



Most of the gold furnished by New Grenada (New Columbia) is the product of wash- 

 ings established in alluvial grounds. The gold exists in spangles and in grains, dis- 

 seminated among fragments of greenstone and porphyry. At Choco, along with the 

 gold and platinum, hyacinths, zircons, and titanium occur. There has been found, as 

 already stated, in the auriferous localities, large trunks of petrified trees. The gold 

 of Antioquia is 20 carats fine, that of Choco 21, and the largest lump or pepita of gold 

 weighed about 27 pounds avoirdupois. The gold of Chili also occurs in alluvial for- 

 mations. 



Brazil does not contain many gold mines, properly so called ; for the veins containing 

 the metal are seldom worked. Dr. Walsh says gold was first known to exist in the 

 Brazils in 1543. The Indians made their fishing- hooks of it, and from them it was 

 discovered that it was found in the beds of streams, brought down from the mountains. 



VOL. II. Z Z 



