316 JOUKNEY. 



light, fine-grained wood, six feet in circum- 

 ference, four and a half inches deep in the 

 centre, with handles at the sides ; into these 

 the earth, &c., in which the gold is expect- 

 ed to be found, is thrown, and, being im- 

 mersed in the water to a level with the brim 

 of the batia, is turned round quickly and 

 dexterously ; the stones are taken out, 

 and then the earth is washed away, until 

 nothing but the grains of gold (if any) are 

 left remaining. 



I proceeded with these men to the bed of 

 the river Saldanea, but procured only a few 

 grains of gold. Observing that they only 

 scraped off about five or six inches of the 

 surface, I went to the old and dry bed of a 

 river, the course of which had been diverted 

 by the falling in of an embankment, and dug 

 down five or six feet, but with no better 

 success. These peons informed me, that the 

 greatest quantity of gold was obtained from 



