336 TlMEHRI. 
prospect, more so for quartz perhaps than for shallow 
placers, covered as it is by dense forests, and though 
approachable by water, yet guarded by dangerous falls 
and rapids ; while the hardy prospectors have, in addition 
to these obstacles, to combat the inclemencies of the 
weather, and to submit to almost ceaseless discomforts 
and hardships : sometimes for many hours wet through, 
without fire or the prospect of making one, and occa- 
sionally being short of food, or even quite destitute. 
One of the chief deterrents attending every mining 
venture here, is the expense. It is essentially not a 
poor man's country in the same sense as California or 
Australia. It would do much to promote the industry, 
if the rural black population could be induced to club 
together in parties of say five or six men and buy a torn, 
a few tools and some provisions, and take to the gold 
bush and prospect and work wherever they liked, — not 
interfering of course with parties already located and 
working. Hundreds of such parties might be formed, 
and with such a number scattered over the country; 
there is every likelihood that really rich spots would be 
found, both quartz and placer claims. It may be objected 
that these people would spoil the country by their 
unskilful methods of treating the gold-bearing soil ; but 
good news does not take long to travel, and a good find 
once made, its existence would soon be generally known, 
and the owners — black people-^-would be only too glad to 
speedily sell the same. The money they made would 
also change hands rapidly, and effect a real good to the 
colony. 
From the opinions of diggers who have worked in 
Cayenne and Surinam as well as this country, it may be 
