I jz A Voyage to 



Parts of Springs, which gave occafion to the Poets to invent 

 the Fable of the Golden-Fleece carry'd off by the Argo- 

 nauts. 



At laft, after turning off the Water, they gather up that 

 Sand which remains at the Bottom of the Bafon, and put it 

 into a great Wooden Platter, in the Middle whereof is a 

 little Hollow or Depth of about a Quarter of an Inch : 

 * They ftir and turn it with their Hands in Water, fo that all 

 the Earth and Sand there, runs over the Edges, only the 

 Gold, which that little Motion of the Hand cannot fuffici- 

 ently remove, remains at the Bottom in Grains bigger or 

 fmaller than Sand, of 311 forts of Shapes, pure, clean, and 

 of its natural Colour, without adding any other Help of 



Tins W£y of getting Gold is much more beneficial, 

 when -the Earth is indifferently rich, than working at the 

 Mines. The Expence is but fmall there is no need of 

 any Mill, nor of Quickfilver, nor of Crows, and other In- 

 ftruments, to break the Veins with much Labour ; a few 

 Shovels fometimes made of the Blade Bones of Oxen are 

 fufficient to diffolve the Earth that is wafli'd. 



Almoft all the Streams in Chili have Earth, whence Gold 

 may be drawn, only the greater or lcffer Quantity makes 

 the Difference. It is commonly reddifli, and fmall on the 

 Surface ; at about the Depth of a Man, it is mix'd with 

 Grains of coarfe Sand, or Gravel, where the Bed of Gold 

 begins 5 and, digging deeper, there are Layers of Stony 

 Bottom, as it were a moulding Rock, bluilh, mix'd with 

 abundance of yellow Straws, which a Man would be apt 

 to take for Gold, but which, in Reality, are no other than 

 the MarcaJJite^ or yellow Fire-ftone, fo fmall and light,, 

 that the Current of the Water carries them away. Below 

 thofe Beds of Stone no more Gold is found it feems to 

 be dctain'd above, as having fallen from a higher Place. 

 Opinion about The moft learned Men in the Country afcribe this Mix- 

 Oold. ture of Gold with the Earth to the univerfal Flood, which 

 overturn' d the Mountains, and confequently broke up the 



Mines 3 



