68 WASHING FOB GOLD 



the gale subsided. While here, I witnessed for the 

 first time the interesting operation of washing for gold, 

 which is carried on more or less all ujd the river. 

 About forty men were engaged at this part, and worked 

 in pairs, one man being em23loyed in digging the earth 

 out of the bank and carryini*- it to the other, who 

 worked the washing apparatus, which was of very crude 

 construction. It consisted of a basket slung so as to 

 be easily rocked, and of coarse construction, having a 

 wooden lever attached to rock it with. Underneath 

 was a board about six feet long by four broad, in which 

 were cut a number of transverse grooves. This was 

 fixed in an inclined, position, the upper part being under 

 the rocking-basket. The earth was tipped into the 

 basket, the man attending- working- the lever with one 

 hand, while with the other he threw water into it. The 

 contents being thus washed through, ran down the in- 

 clined board, the black sand and gold dust lodging in 

 the grooves, and the lighter soil being washed away. 

 About every four hours the grooves were scraped out, 

 and the dust and sand collected in small bags for trans- 

 port home, when it would be treated with mercury to 

 collect the gold. The amount recovered, however, is 

 very small, and I understood that the average daily 

 earnings were about 100 cash per man — say o^d. in 

 English money. Only a Chinese could live upon such 



