24 Mr. WAFERV Fo)^ &c. 

 The way feeing us. The manner of their getting 

 2|gE Gold it is as follows. They have little Wood- 

 en Difties which they dip foftly into the Wa- 

 ter, and take it up half full of Sand, which 

 they draw gently out of the Water ^ and every 

 dipping they take up Gold mix'd with the 

 Sand and Water/ more or lefs. This they 

 ftiake, and the Sand rifeth, and goes over the 

 Brims of the Difti with the Water 5 but the 

 Gold fettles to the bottom. This done they 

 bring it out and dry it in the. Sun, and then 

 pound it in a Mortar. Then they tak$ it out 

 and fpread it on Paper, and having a Load- 

 ftone they move that over it, which draws all 

 the Iron, &e. from it, and then leaves the 

 Gold clean from Ore or Filth 5 and this they 

 bottle up in Gourds or Calabafhes. In this 

 manner they work during the dry Seafon, 

 which is three Months 5 for in the wet time 

 the Gold is waftied from the Mountains by 

 violent Rains, and then commonly the Ri- 

 vers are very deep '3 but now in the gathering 

 Seafon, when they are fallen again, they ate 

 not above a Foot deep. Having fpent the 

 dry Seafon in gathering, tbeyimbarkinfmall 

 22 Veflels for Santa- Mama, Town $ and if they 

 meet with good Succefs and a favourable 

 Time, they carry with them, by Report (for 

 I learnt thefe Particulars of a Spaniard whom 

 we took at Santa Maria under Captain Sharp) 



S5i?d° ! fo *^ or 20 t ^ lou ^ an ^ Pound weight of Gold i 

 ?21m- But whether they gather more or lefs, 'tis in- 

 fjf credibly 



