; 31 | (oe 
ises to hold out very fairly. The vein is found in sienite and greenstone, 
the gang consists of argillaceous i iron ore, (yellow and brown irom ochre,) 
- with which the pe gold is very intimately mixed. A yellow or brown 
earth, a decomposition of the same rocks and found among them, is con- 
sidered peculiarly Ach in gold. The ores are carried in “bags to the sur- 
face, and on mules to the amalgamation mill in town. After the ores 
have been ground, by hand, (pounding cats with ye: ») as ars cnt in 
the amull, a ‘small’ circular basin ormed v rocks, mill- 
stones, which are constantly turned side in it by ao oon. "These 
millstones are placed on their face, revolving round a centre pole, which is» 
turned by the animal. To the coarsely powdered\ore, water, and: then 
quid shy ais are scorn and the amalgamation goes on in the usual | 
Mr. ‘Tournier told me that he worked in this’ way every day about: tact 
aud a half cargas (7. 50. pounds) of the ore, and that he draws, on an aver- 
would allow yet many improvements, Mr. ‘Tournier makes nevertheless | 
‘ his 
a sinart mug nese of it, an ss soon turn gold mine into real gold. 
Near Mr. Tournier’s gold m is a copper. mine, (sulphuret of copper,) 
said to Fons in gold ore, ed “worked for some time, but now given up. 
Several other specimens of copper ore from the vicinity were shown me; a 
very rich iron ore [ saw myself in the neighborhood; but neither of them 
is worked. 
‘The old Placeris a very promising place for mines. The gold ores there 
were disccvered by mere accident in 1828, and gold washings established ; 
but besides that, the ground is barely touched, and will yet ‘aren rich 
treasures to the mining enchanter, who knows how to unlock th 
n the afternoon of the same day I left old Placer to pay a vidi to the 
othe mining place, southwest from it, called new Placer, and about nine 
e there with Mr, Nolan, a French resident of new — 
cer. Our way lay through fine pine timber, over steep mountains, 
and through narrow ravines; the road is rough, that no wagons can 
ss it. After having eon en we highest deine: an extensive plain is 
seen towards the Sout ards the west a small valley opens, in 
an 
which new Placer, or Real del aan , a town of about 100 buildings, is 
situated.. Several foreigners reside here, generally storekeepers. In the 
house of one of them, with Mr. Trigg, I found a kind ind hospitable re- 
ception. 
he gold in new Placer is also got in two ways, by washing and by 
mining. ‘The principal place for go ing is about one mile south- 
‘“‘Bonanza.’’ A cluster of houses, or rather huts, form here a small vil- 
lage, whose febukiants | live outage by gold washing, but look as poor 
and wretched as if they never handled any gold of theirown. The whole 
Be is excavated . with pits, en whose depths they dig the same pate 
auriferous ground as in old Placer, and they wash it alsoin the same way. 
ot a drop of water is found here; all the water for washing must a 
brought in barrels from new Placer. ” The wash gold obtained fron 
a 
Placer is generally considered inferior to that of old Placer, as she more 
impu ‘fo ascertain the correctness of this opinion, I examin 
wasi-goid fh sou new plone and found it to contaie 
< Z ee ee 
