1853.] and Seesee rivers in Upper Assam. 521 



of silver: and what is called the gold- washer's sand (the Schlich of 

 the Bohemians) contains universally the different oxides of iron 

 and other minerals, with minute crystals of quartz and precious 

 stones. 



In regard to the manipulation or washing of the auriferous sands 

 according to the methods in use with different people in the East, 

 after reading the description given in Lecture IV. of the " Lectures 

 on Gold," delivered at the Museum of Practical Geology, it is evident 

 that the principle adopted by gold-washers of all countries in the 

 washing of auriferous rubble, and the object, that of washing out all 

 useless matter, so as to leave nothing but the oxide of iron and its 

 associated gold dust, is the same. The Chinese have a trough with 

 cleets and transverse grooves. The Assamese generally wash in a 

 trough and take the whole stuff in the rough, the finer sand, <fcc, 

 being washed into the trough through a bamboo grating or sieve 

 placed at the higher end, and although for want of cleets there is 

 some loss, it is wonderful to see with what dexterity the left hand 

 is used to keep the dust at the head of the trough, and to allow of 

 a constant stream of water passing down its slope, thus washing 

 the stuff thoroughly in a very short time and leaving nothing but the 

 very finest of the Sclilicli with its gold dust. This trough might be 

 improved, but as it is light, and one man can work it easily, being 

 supplied with material by a boy, and one man to dig, it answers 

 the purpose — and when gold is plentiful, this is the cheapest method 

 of labour which could be employed in Assam. The oval board in 

 use with the Singphoes appears to me, however, in dexterous hands 

 to be equal to any trough — and provided the stuff could be given to 

 the washer after having been passed through a sieve, I reckon this 

 to be the best and cheapest method of extracting the gold dust — for 

 not only does an expert gold-washer wash clean every particle of 

 oxide and gold contained in a given quantity of rubble, but he will 

 after the day's labour is over, take the Schlich and gold dust on the 

 board, and by a peculiar dexterity of hand with the board and the 

 water, wash away every particle of the former, leaving the latter at 

 the head of the board with little necessity for quicksilver to lick it 

 up, as generally done to prepare it for melting. 



Dibrooghur, June, 1853. 



3 u 2 



