170 , PROCESS OF WASHING. 



vessel, which they fill with the earth, and then 

 immerse it m the pool, and stir it with their 

 hands; by which operation the loose dirt 

 floats off, and the gold settles to the bottom. 

 In tliis manner they continue till nothing re- 

 mains in the bottom of the hatea but a little hea- 

 vy black sand mixed with a few grains of gold, 

 the value of which (to the trayful) varies from 

 one to twelve cents, and sometimes, in very 

 rich soils, to twenty-five or more. Some at- 

 tempts have been made to wash with ma- 

 chinery, but as yet without success; partly 

 owing to the scarcity of water, but as much 

 perhaps to a lack of perseverance, and to the 

 arbitrary restrictions imposed upon foreigners, 

 who, after all, are the only persons that have 

 ever attempted any improvements of the kind 

 An instance or two will fully illustrate the 

 embarrassments and disadvantages to which 

 foreigners are subject, in embarking capital 

 in mining enterprises in this country. 



When the Placer was in its greatest honcm 



za — yielding very large profits to those en- 

 gaged in the business— the 'mining fever' 

 rose to such a tremendous pitch among 

 the New Mexicans, particularly the govern- 

 ment officers, that every one fancied he saw 



a door opened for the accumulation of a 

 princely 



About the commencement of this sold 



mama, a ver>- arbitrary and tyrannical meas 

 ure was adopted in order to wrest from a per 

 secuted Gachupin* his interest in a mine, ii 



term 



