A GOLD MINE IN THE WILDERNESS. 169 



acid and humous acids from the rapidly decaying tropical 

 vegetation. Through the clay are scattered nodules of im- 

 pure limonite. 



In a tumbling, falling mass the muddy water washes back 

 upon its path, confined in a trough under the pipe, and as it 

 goes it gives up its yellow burden. As the grains and nuggets 

 drop to the bottom they touch the mercury and behold! to 

 the eye they are no longer gold but silver! 



As we had been impressed by the grandeur of the forest, 

 so we now began to see the romance of the wonderful gold 

 deep hidden beneath the centuries of jungle growth. Gold, 

 which we had known only in form of coin or ring, now 

 assumed a new beauty and meaning. Here, amid the great 

 trees, the beautiful birds and insects, the Indians as yet 

 unspoiled by civilization, one could thoroughly enjoy such 

 "money-making." One hears of gold mines all one's life, 

 but until one actually sees the metal taken from its resting 

 place where it has laid since the earth was young, the word 

 means but little. 



Beyond the golden gorge with the roaring "little giant" 

 ever filling it with spray, was a second hill lopped with the 

 bungalow which we were to call home. Hcvond this the 

 jungle began again. 



After a delicious shower-bath we slung our hammocks on 

 the veranda and sat on the hillside in the moonlight for an 

 hour or more, watching the nig'u shift at work, one or two 

 men guiding the stream beneath flickering arc-lights, others 

 puddling the down rushing torrent. Just beneath us in the 

 dark shadow of a bush lay the- coolie night watchman, with 

 the inscrutable face of his race 1 , keeping watch over the long, 

 snaky flume, at the bottom of which the quicksilver was 

 ever engulfing the precious metal. 



Later we slept the dreamless hammock sleep of the tropics, 

 lulled by the dull droning roar of the water dashing against 



