LAST MISSION TO AFRICA. 57 
constantly agitated it with a quick motion in the direc- 
tion CD. 
I now observed a quantity of black matter, resembling 
gunpowder, which she told me was gold rust; and before 
she had moved the sand one quarter round the calabash, 
she pointed to a yellow speck, and said, sanoo ajffilli, see 
the gold. On looking attentively I saw a portion of pure 
gold, and took it out. It would have weighed about one 
grain. The whole of the washing, from the first putting in 
of the sand till she shewed me the gold, did not exceed the 
space of two minutes. I now desired her to take a larger 
portion. She put in, as nearly as I could guess, about two 
pounds ; and having washed it in the same manner, and 
nearly in the same time, found no fewer than twenttf-three 
particles ; some of them were very small. In both cases 
I observed that the quantity of sanoo mira, or gold rust, 
was at least forty times greater than the quantity of gold. 
She assured me that they sometimes found pieces of gold 
as large as her fist. I could not ascertain the quantity of 
gold washed here in one year ; but I believe it must be 
considerable, though they wash only during the beginning 
and end of the rains. Gold is sold here, and all along our 
VOL. 11. I 
