THE TECHNOLOGIST. [Jan. 1, 1865. 



254 ON THE GOLD MINES OF CANADA, 



iridosmine, were obtained in these washings, but their quantity was too 

 small to be of any importance. The washing season lasted from the 

 24th of May to the 30th of October, and the sum expended for labour 

 was 1,888 dols., leaving a profit of 608 dols. A part of this expenditure 

 was, however, for the construction of wooden conductors for bringing 

 the water a distance of about 900 feet from the small stream. As this 

 work would be available for several years to come, a proper allowance 

 made for it would leave a profit in the year's labour of about 680 dols. 

 It thus appears that from an acre of the gravel, with an average thick- 

 ness of two feet, there were taken 4,323 dols. of gold ; while the expenses 

 of labour, after deducting, as above, all which was not directly employed 

 in extracting gold, were 2,957 dols., leaving a pro6t of 1,366 dols. The 

 fineness of the gold dust of this region was 871 thousandths ; another 

 sample in thin scales gave 892, and masses 864. A small nugget of gold 

 from St. Francis gave 867 thousandths, the remainder in all cases being 

 silver." 



" Although the greater part of this gold was extracted from the gravel 

 on the fiats by the river side, a portion was obtained by washing the 

 material taken from the banks above. As has been before remarked, 

 the distribution of the gold-bearing gravel over the surface of the country 

 took place before the formation of the present water-courses, and the 

 reason why the gravel from the beds of these are richer in gold than 

 that which forms their banks, is, that these rapid streams have subjected 

 the earth to a partial washing, carrying away the lighter materials, and 

 leaving the gold behind with the heavier matters. According to Mr. 

 Blake, it is found in California, that the gold in the diluvial deposits, 

 which have not been subsequently disturbed by the streams, is not uni- 

 formly distributed, but is accumulated here and there in quantities 

 greater than in other places. It would seem that during the first depo- 

 sition of the earth and gravel, the precious metal became in some parts 

 accumulated in depressions of the surface rock, constituting what are 

 called pockets by the miners. It would appear from the facts here given 

 that the quantity of gold in the valley of the Chaucliere is such as 

 would be remunerative to skilled labour, and should encourage the 

 outlay of capital. There is no reason for supposing that the propor- 

 tion of the precious metal to be found along the St. Francis, the Etche- 

 min, and their various tributaries, is less considerable than that of the 

 Chaudikre." 



*' What is called the hydraulic method of washing deposits of auri- 

 ferous gravel is adopted on a great scale in California, and to some extent 

 in the states of Georgia and North Carolina. In this method, the force 

 of a jet of water, with great pressure, is made available, both for exca- 

 vating and washing the auriferous earth. The water, issuing in a con- 

 tinuous stream, with great force, from a large hose-pipe, like that of a 

 fire-engine, is directed against the base of a bank of earth and gravel, 

 and tears it away. The bank is rapidly undermined, the gravel is 



