NATIVE GOLD DUST. 2^7 



Jarger or smaller size: that independently of the places 

 where this metal is found in its native situation, it is disse- 

 minated lii grains in their sands, as those of the Rhone, the 

 Arriege, and the Ceze in France, and with us in those of 

 the rivers Doire, Bdlthee, Cervo, Elbo, Mallon, and Orba, 

 and of the rivulets Oropa, Oremo, Evancon,, Vison, &c. 

 It is equally known, that there are persons, who make it 

 their whole business, to search for this gold. 



Mineralogists are not perfectly agreed respecting the ori- ^ts origin dis- 

 gin of this gold dust; for the oldest, and among the moderns ^" ^ * 

 Brochant, suppose this gold was originally Brought from 

 mines, commonly situate in. primitive mountains, from which 

 it has been washed down by the water of the rivers. " Na- 

 tive gold," says Brochant*, " is found chiefly in primitive Brochant. 

 mountains, where it is met vvith in veins, and sometimes 

 disseminated in the rock- — it occurs also in alluvial strata, 

 where it is frequently wrought with advantage. The sand 

 of several rivers is mixed with grains of gold, which are se- 

 parated from it by washing. It is unquestionably evident, 

 that the gold here is met with accidentally; and that it is 

 deposited by the water, that has washed it away from its 

 original .situation, which was probably the same as is indi- 

 cated above." 



Others on the contrary think, that these metallic parti- Supposed to be 

 cles were originally disseminated in auriferous strata, in the |,ai siiuaiionr 

 very places where they are exposed to view by great floods, 

 or overflowings of the rivers, or that t^ey have been washed 

 into the latter by torrents in storm.s c heavy rains. 



I do not intend to enter into the question generally, or at 

 large. This I leave to the learned, whose chief study is 

 the improvement of the science of mineralogy. My induc- 

 tions go no farther thai the small number of researches I 

 have made : yet I think I may venture to say, from the ob- At least not 

 servations I am about to present the reader respecting tlie jow^n'fro^ 

 locality and situation of the native gold dust in the com- luiaes. 

 mune of St. George's, that such dust is not always washed 

 down from mines in the mountains by rivers. And if such 



* Elementary Treatise on Mineralogy, according lo the Principles of 

 Prof. Werner. Vul. 11. 



