218 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



lightning flashed ; thunder rolled amongst the 

 hills ; and we were not sorry when we espied 

 a solitary hut, where we took refuge from the 

 storm. The tenant of this hut was a poor 

 Irishman, who told us he was prospecting the 

 country for gold ; unlike the generality of his 

 countrymen he seemed of a sulky disposition, 

 but a glass of whisky made him more com- 

 municative. He told us that gold was to be 

 found in considerable quantities in the moun- 

 tains near; and he volunteered to show us 

 where he had been working. Shouldering a 

 pickaxe he led the way to a secluded spot in the 

 depth of the forest, a tiny rivulet trickled along 

 the bottom of the dell, and on each side the 

 earth had been cleared away. The miner told 

 us there was plenty of gold far up the hill sides, 

 but that an hydraulic pump was required to 

 raise water up to the desired level, to make it 

 pay for being worked. He then proceeded to 

 initiate us into the process of gold-washing; 

 driving his pickaxe apparently at random into 

 the bank, he shovelled the loose earth into a pan 



