58 WASHING FOR GOLD 
the gale subsided. While here, I witnessed for the 
first time the interesting operation of washing for gold, 
which is carried on more or less all up the river. 
About forty men were engaged at this part, and worked 
in pairs, one man being employed in digging the earth 
out of the bank and carrying it to the other, who 
worked the washing apparatus, which was of very crude 
construction. It consisted of a basket slung so as to 
be easily rocked, and of coarse construction, having a 
wooden lever attached to rock it with. Underneath 
was a board about six feet long by four broad, in which 
were cut a number of transverse grooves. This was 
fixed in an inclined position, the upper part being under 
the rocking-basket. The earth was tipped into the 
basket, the man attending working the lever with one 
hand, while with the other he threw water into it. The 
contents being thus washed through, ran down the in- 
clined board, the black sand and gold dust lodging in 
the grooves, and the lighter soil being washed away. 
About every four hours the grooves were scraped out, 
and the dust and sand collected in small bags for trans- 
port home, when it would be treated with mercury to 
collect the gold. The amount recovered, however, is 
very small, and I understood that the average daily 
earnings were about 100 cash per man—say 33d. in 
English money. Only a Chinese could live upon such 
