HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 1G9 



We come now to that ■which has huilt up so rapidly 

 this empire of the Pacific — the metallic and mineral 

 wealth of California. As to the extent of the region, 

 and indication| of the existence of the gold, together 

 with the attendant <Teolo;i:ical formations, the state- 

 ments of Mr. King's report will not be, nor have not 

 been, gainsayed; but as to the origin of the gold, 

 whether in combination with quartz, or mixed with 

 the sands of the ravines and »trcams, various opinions 

 have been expressed by those who have spent consi- 

 derable time in working:: and observinor the different 

 formation?. That due weight may be given to both 

 of the principal theories, we extract the observation 

 and opinion of a person who favors the idea of the 

 gold having been scattered over the country, by a 

 tremendous volcanic eruption. 



"The gold found in every placer in California 

 bears the most indubitable marks of having, at some 

 time, been in a molten state. In many parts it is 

 closely intermixed with quartz, into which it has evi- 

 dently been injected while in a state of fusion ; and I 

 have myself seen many pieces of gold completely 

 coated with a black cement that resembled the lava 

 of a volcano. The variety of form, which the placer 

 gold of California has assumed, is in itself sufficient 

 evidence of the fact, that it has been thrown over the 

 surface while in a melted state. The earliest compa- 

 risons of the California gold were to pieces of molten 

 lead dropped into water. The whole territory of the 

 gold region bears the plainest and most distinct marks 

 of being volcanic. The soil is of a red, brick color, in 

 many places entirely barren, and covered with a flinty 

 rock, or pebble, entirely parched in the summer, and 



during the rainy season becoming a perfect mire. The 



15 



