Gold Mining Notes. 41 
and the character of the "dirt," which is not supplied 
faster than it can be completely reduced to mud by- 
stirring. The large stones are forked out as when the 
Long Tom is used. The sluice is usually inclined 6 inches 
for each section of 12 feet. The riffles are made in 
sections of 4 feet in length, and wholly cover the floor 
of the sluice to which they are fastened by cleats or 
wedges. These riffles form wooden gratings with bars 
one to four inches long and four feet wide, laid length- 
wise, and held in place by two or three cross-pieces 
halved together, so that the cross-bar thus formed arrests 
the gold and heavy earth which would otherwise be lost. 
After the dirt has been running for some time, a little 
quicksilver is poured into the openings at the lower end 
of the riffles, and a larger quantity at the head of the 
sluice which arrests the gold and assists its collection. 
500 to 600 lbs. of quicksilver are sometimes used at one 
operation. The day's work is usually ten hours but on 
occasions goes on for twenty-four continuous hours. 
Cleaning up is done once a week — usually on Sunday — 
by letting water run through the sluice till it comes out 
clear at the other end. The upper riffles are removed 
and the sand, gold and mercury washed down to the lower 
ones remaining. Some loose sand washes over and the 
rest is scooped up and put in a bucket. When all is 
cleared up, the result is finished in the miner's pan 
where all the movable impurities are washed away and 
nothing but mercury and amalgam remain. The super- 
fluous mercury is collected by squeezing the mass in a 
thick canvas or chamois leather bag and the amalgam 
taken out. 
The State Mineralogist gives " a tip " as to how to 
F 
