GOLD. 101 



of John River. Colors were obtained here by the writer from gravels in the mouth 

 of a small creek near the north edge of the Totsen series, and specimens of vein 

 quartz collected in place from sandstone and schist near the middle of the Fickett 

 series assayed 0.08 ounce, or about 60 cents per ton. Though this may not be 

 promising from an economic point of view, it seems to denote the presence of gold 

 in the Endicott Mountains and points to the quartz as its probable source. 



Coarse placer gold is reported to have been found bj r prospectors on the Arctic 

 side of the divide, opposite the head of the Koyukuk Basin and farther eastward. 

 Further investigations are contemplated here by men who have visited the region. 

 This reported occurrence suggests the northward continuation of the auriferous 

 schists of the Koyukuk district. 



So far as observed by the writer, and learned from the accounts of prospectors, 

 some of whose observations in the district have been extensive, the Koyukuk diggings 

 in general are shallow, the gravels being but a few feet thick. Owing to this fact 

 the placers are essentially what is known as summer diggings. Burning and drift- 

 ing have been tried, but with only moderate success. About the only streams on 

 which any winter work was done during the winter of 1902-3 are Hammond and 

 Gold creeks. The richest placers are those in the creek beds and gulches; but 

 gold-bearing gravels, sometimes of promising grade, occur also at higher eleva- 

 tions on the benches. Much of the gold occurs in the bed-rock cavities or in joint 

 and cleavage crevices. It is coarse, much flattened, and ranges in size from that of 

 a lima bean down to small grains. It is of high grade, being much purer than most 

 of the Alaskan placer gold, and runs from $19 to $19.60 per ounce. 



An exception to the flattened form of the gold occurs at Gold Bench on South 

 Fork. Here the principal diggings are on a gently sloping bench at from 30 to 60 

 feet above the stream. On the bench the gold is all flattened, similar to that of the 

 Koyukuk district in general, and is nearly all found within 8 to 10 feet of the sur- 

 face. At the foot of the bench, however, the gold found in the high-water gravels 

 of the present stream is of totally different character. It is not flat and smooth, but is 

 round or angular, some particles being so sharply angular, rough, and hone^ycoinbed 

 as to suggest little, if any, transportation since it was released from the mother rock. 



Coarser gold than has been mentioned in the preceding paragraphs has also been 

 found at various localities in the Koyukuk district. The largest piece found in 1900 

 is an 18-ounce nugget, having a money value of about $350, and is reported to be 

 from Clara Creek. The largest found during the season of 1901 is a $660 nugget, 

 -■aid to have come from Union Gulch. In 1902 a much larger nugget, having a 

 money value of about $1,100, was brought out. It is reported to have been found 

 on Hammond Creek. This nugget was seen by the writer. It is flat, oblong in out- 

 line, having somewhat the shape of a man's hand. It consists of almost pure gold. 



