

ra^sa 





ORDER OF WORK IN PLACER, EL DORADO, AND AMADOR. 



81 



Mr. Goodyear also furnished a review, or general 



For the district south of the Mokclumne River — the southern boundary of 

 Mr. Goodyear's work — there are no complete surveys, although most of the 

 mining region between that river and the Merced has been passed over 

 and portions examined in some detail by the writer, and especially by Mr. 

 Remond, who made, in 1865, quite a detailed examination of the region 

 between the Merced and the Stanislaus. The volcanic rocks and the quartz 

 mines are of great interest in this region ; but the gravels are much less 

 important than they arc farther north. It is, however, from the detrital 

 deposits south of the Stanislaus that most of the interesting fossils, to be 

 described farther on, have been obtained. 



In giving the details of the various gravel deposits which have been ex- 

 amined, a beginning will be made with the district so carefully surveyed by 

 Mr. Goodyear. His notes, however, which are in the form of a journal, are 

 too voluminous for publication in full in the present volume, and they include 

 much matter which has no reference to the gravel question. Besides, as 

 some localities were visited more than once, at different times, there is neces- 

 sarily more or less repetition, and supplementing of details imperfectly made 

 out at a first examination. 



discussion, of his observations, which will be frequently referred to and quoted 

 from in a future chapter. In giving a resume of Mr. Goodyear's notes, the 

 observations made by him in the course of his work will be arranged in 

 what appears to be the most suitable order for acquiring a clear idea of the 

 nature of the phenomena. The lithological character of the bed-rock and its 

 stratigraphical position will first be indicated. Next the appearance and 

 form of its surface, as exposed after the gravel has been washed away, will 

 be described, and such other facts mentioned as naturally fall into this divis- 

 ion of the subject. After giving all that seems necessary to be mentioned 

 in reference to the bed-rock, the gravel deposits will be described with some 

 detail; then will follow some details in regard to the volcanic materials so 

 intimately associated with the gravel, as already mentioned ; next, the 

 chmnels will be taken up, and their position, size, direction, and grade at 

 the different localities examined will be given; finally, the distribution of 

 the gold in the gravel, its position in reference to the form and character 

 of the channel and the rim-rock, will be discussed, with the addition of such 

 facts in regard to the workings, from an economical and practical point of 

 view, at the various localities visited, as may seem to be of general interest. • 

 The order followed in giving these various details for each branch of the 



