On tHE PoTARo. 345 



top of the sluice, whose duty is to pick out large stones 

 and soften the sand in the " riffles" wiih hay forks, com- 

 plete the crew. 



There is nothing very scientific about the working of 

 a sluice in this country, the most difficult part lying in 

 the setting of the boxes at a proper grade or angle, but 

 after a few weeks of practice anyone with a little tact 

 can become proficient in the art. 



It is very amusing to hear some gold-digging managers 

 brag about the setting of a sluice. Each one thinks his 

 style is the best and is sure to find fault with the way 

 in which those of other men are fixed. They consider 

 it a great feat of engineering skill to set a sluice properly, 

 and are very proud to hear any one say that they are 

 good hands at it. 



The gold digfofincr labourer on the whole would have a 

 happy time of it were it not for the tyranny of those in 

 authority. The name of "Manager" applied to some 

 of these men is a misnomer. A good many of them can 

 neither read nor write, and never lose an opportunity of 

 venting their petty spite on their poor labouring brethren. 



It is a common saying that the white man hates the 

 black, but the bitterest hatred of all exists between black 

 and black, and the gold fields is the place where it is 

 most conspicuous. 



Something should be done to check the system (or 

 rather want of system) of fines that these " Managers" 

 impose. 



Not long ago a Manager on his departure for town 

 left a hen and eight newly-hatched chickens in charge of 

 a boy, who besides other duties, had to cook for a gang 

 of a hundred men. A day or two after the lad took over 



XX 2 



