38 TlMEHRI. 
The machine is described as about four feet long and two 
wide, with an inclination, and the open lower end allows 
the water and tailings free outlet. At the upper end there 
is a box or hopper with a sheet-iron bottom pierced with 
half inch holes. This hopper can be easily removed and 
replaced. Under it there is a canvas apron inclined towards 
the head of the cradle at an angle of thirty degrees, but 
touching neither the floor of the cradle nor the bottom 
of the hopper. Across the floor of the cradle and trans- 
versely to the flow of the water are nailed two riffle bars 
each an inch high, one near the lower end and the other 
near the middle. The machine is placed on level hard 
ground near a convenient, but not necessarily large water 
supply. The miner sitting or kneeling near the machine, 
rocks it with one hand and with the other dips and 
pours water, while his partner places the carefully 
selected " pay-dirt'' in the hopper. By rocking and 
pouring water the finer portions and the free 
gold pass through the holes and are with the 
water thrown by means of the canvas apron to the 
extreme upper part of the floor, and thence flow 
downward and escape at the lower end of the rocking 
floor, the gold and heavy black iron sand being arrested 
by the riffle bars. The larger stones, &c, remaining on 
the iron plate are from time to time picked out and 
thrown outside. The smaller ones when accumulated in 
any quantity are well washed in the hopper, and care- 
fully examined for any gold nuggets among them. The 
hopper is then lifted out and the pebbles being jerked 
out, is replaced. " Cleaning up" at the close of the day 
means removing the hopper and thoroughly washing 
the canvas apron so as to secure any particles of gold 
