380 SMITH. 



size; others small, of hematite or magnetite, termed tonasi. This is the pay streak 

 and varies in depth from 1 to 5 meters. The method of operation is best told 

 in Abella's own words as follows: 



Method employed in the district for the recovery of the gold. — The method is 

 in reality the same as that employed by the natives throughout the island for 

 working the placers, and though quite simple it is very similar to that used even 

 to this day in other countries, and reveals a certain knowledge of the rudimentary 

 principles of mechanics which seems to corroborate the hypothesis of former 

 Spanish work. 



The exploitation is not continuous, as is usually the case in all classes of 

 mining, but is confined exclusively to the rainy season, forming campaigns of work, 

 or harvests (cosechas) , if you wish to call them so, with long periods of rest. 



Not only is the water valued for the washing and concentration of the ground, 

 but also they employ it as a mover and worker in the excavation of the same, 

 limiting the physical work to a primary preparation and then to aiding and 

 guiding of the work done by the water. 



In these places, in which by reason of being not too far from nor too much 

 above the river, they suppose that the placer is rich enough to yield values, they 

 sink a prospect pit called a tujubs. It is circular and about a meter in diameter. 

 If iron implements are lacking, they use a section of cane or of palma irava, 

 which they sharpen to suit the purpose. For the excavation of the ground they 

 notch a bamboo pole after the fashion of a ladder, by means of which the earth 

 in home-made baskets which they call tuoyac is brought to the surface. When 

 the excavation reaches the dugcalon or pay streak they test the ground as they 

 advance, washing it in the adjacent arroyo with the hilingan, already described, 

 deciding from it .whether it is worth while to explore farther in this place. If 

 not sufficiently paying they open other tujubs or pozitos, until they find a place 

 whose richness satisfies them. When this point has been reached, and sometimes 

 before the preliminary investigation has been made, a partnership is formed for 

 the exploiting, or the same prospector forms a contract with a certain number 

 of workers, who are also his associates. Since they are obliged to maintain them- 

 selves and keep a lookout in the course of the work, they share in the profits, a 

 half or two-thirds, depending upon the district in which they work. 



Organized in this manner, or in squads of workers, and having chosen a 

 favorable place for operation, they seek at a point 100 or 200 meters from this 

 and on a higher level, a spot where a reservoir for the water from the neigh- 

 boring hill, having a capacity of 10 to 25 cubic meters and a depth of 30 to 40 

 cubic meters, can be located. Leading out from the reservoir, they open a canal 

 30 to 40 meters deep which they prolong, and skirting the slope of the hill 

 nearest, oftentimes as much as 800 to 1,000 meters from the said reservoir, col- 

 lecting in its course by so doing not only the rain water which falls on the upper 

 part of the hill, but also that from the arroyos which it encounters in passing, 

 and conducting it to the reservoir. If in its course they encounter any sudden 

 depression of the ground they bridge it by a curious aqueduct made of canes and 

 palma hrava. Thej then place the reservoir in communication with the point or 

 points which they have chosen for commencing operations by means of other 

 canals, whose junction with the resei^voir is closed by means of gates made of 

 cane and brush, in order to gauge the quantity of water necessary in each case and 

 to cut off the flow at the right time. Tliis having been done in the rainy season 

 and the reservoir filled with water, they open the gates, which I have just 

 mentioned, with two or three men placed at the point or points to be washed, 

 provided with implements analagous to those which I have indicated above, 

 though sharper, and in shape not unlike veiy short oars. With these they accele- 



