Proceedings, fyc. xlv 



it as the means by which all our metals have been reduced into a 

 fluid state, and separated from their ores. Further considering that 

 without clay no metals would have been produced, and that for want 

 of metals we shoidd have remained in a stationary position as regards 

 our civilisation, that is, in other words, we should have occupied a 

 position and order of tribes similar to that of the New Zealanders, as 

 they were found at the discovery of their islands, nothing better ; 

 because, though the New Zealanders have employed the clay for 

 repairing their canoes, they never thought of any farther use of this 

 substance, nor did they turn their attention, like many other tribes 

 now existing, to any kind of metal.""' The question may here follow, 

 cannot clay be substituted by some other substance 1 If so, the abo- 

 riginal occupier has not known it, and if science has not discovered 

 and does not find a substitute, that will just answer the question. 

 Nature has not as yet offered any substitute for clay, therefore it 

 occupies the highest position among the known compound substances, 

 being, of all, the most essential for reducing or liquifying the metals, 

 which, in their turn, became powerfully available as indispensable for 

 the development of civilisation. 



Inquiring into the benefit obtained by the discovery of clay among 

 the Indian tribes of the Andes, we find by the discovery of earthen- 

 ware, found in the tombs of the said tribes, the following facts, viz., 

 that after attention had been paid to the search for gold and copper, 

 a vessel for concentrating the metalliferous sands was contrived by 

 the goldseekers of those early days. This consisted of a circular 

 dish, somewhat similar to a watch-glass, in which, by a rotatory mo- 

 tion, the heavier particles, as the gold and the black sand, were kept 

 together in the centre of the dish, whilst the lighter sand was washed 

 off, sufficient water being kept in constant use for the purpose of 

 separating the lighter and retaining the heavier ingredients. This 

 simple contrivance gives an idea of the inventive skill of the first 

 gold-washers of South America, who, without the means of clay, 

 could not have reached the perfection they did in collecting gold and 

 copper,t so satisfactorily proved by the records of the Spanish con- 

 querors, and also by the variety of gold trinkets found in the burial- 

 places. Next to this useful washing-dish, which by the Spaniards was 

 improved by making the same of wood, being still in use all over 

 South America, a circular and conical-shaped piece of clay was used 

 for the heavy part of a spinning-bob, through the hole of which a 

 straight piece of wood completed the first implement for making a 

 thread out of the raw cotton. The said piece of burnt clay is fre- 



* The superiority of the New Zealanders among semi-civilised people, is 

 recognised by all who know their natural facility for inventing certain do- 

 mestic implements, and prosecuting crude manufactures, &c. 



+ The Indian washing-dish is recognised as the best of all known imple- 

 ments for concentrating metals and metallic compounds, whether made of 

 wood or gutta percha, ; the latter introduced by the writer. 



