268 Accmmi of the process employed for ohidining [March, 



twenty minutes. More water is then added, until the mass is fluid. 

 It is shaken with a circular motion, which causes the water and lighter 

 particles to fly off at the circumference. This process is continued, 

 with the continual addition of fresh water until only a small heap 

 remains in the centre, in which the gold and quicksilver appear together 

 as a small globule. This is washed, taken out and put upon a piece 

 of ignited cowdung. The mercury flies off and leaves the gold yellow. 

 In order however that the utmost weight he given to the mass, it is 

 taken from the fire before the whole of the mercury is evolved. 



The quantity of gold obtained, from a trough half filled with sand, 

 and containing therefore about 2\ cubic feet, is about 1^ rutties. This 

 employs nine men for about 45 minutes. It is obvious to me that much 

 gold is lost in this imperfect and expensive process. For the outlet 

 of the trough extends to the very bottom, without any ledge to arrest 

 the heavier particles. 



Any enterprising native who would work these sands upon a larger 

 scale with machinery turned by the river current, might find it pay 

 handsomely, but only by personal supervision. 



I have the pleasure to forward a specimen of the gold dust collected 

 in my presence, and also of the sand previous to washing, and the black 

 sand in which the gold is ultimately found. This still contains its 

 gold dust. 



It strikes me that as an accompaniment to the foregoing descrip- 

 tion of the process of washing for gold in the Beyass, the parti- 

 culars of my visit to the richest gold mines in the world, (those 

 namely, of Siberia) may be acceptable. And as, in Siberia, a particular 

 succession of strata is considered presumptive evidence of the presence 

 of gold, the same phenomena may possibly prove of similar significance 

 in the regions lately added to our empire. 



During my mission to Russia, I was detained at Oxenburgh awaiting 

 an answer to my despatches. General Perroffoki, the enlightened 

 governor of the province, anxious to amuse me, afforded me the means 

 of visiting the celebrated fabric of Mines at Zlataoost and the gold 

 and platinum mines of that neighbourhood. 



As far as Ufa, a considerable town of a military station, the road 

 lay over an undulating steppe, and at that season of the vear the jour- 



