FORMATION OF BARS. 
115 
labor bestowed upon them. Not to^ mention the small inter¬ 
vening bars, I will pass on and mention, lastly, Smith’s Bar; 
this was one of the most gigantic works undertaken on the 
river. During its progress the feelings of those concerned were 
of the most sanguine character; in digging the canal they fre¬ 
quently came upon rich deposits, which would throw all into 
a phrensy of excitement, and some realized small fortunes by 
selling out during the progress of the work: ♦ after the comple¬ 
tion of the work machines were put in operation, and all were 
expecting to reap golden harvests; some of the machines pro¬ 
duced most bountifully, and others almost nothing. A few days 
convinced them that, as a party,, they could not make wages, 
and the result was similar to those mentioned above. 
In all the bars mentioned there were points of extreme rich¬ 
ness. The calculations of those engaged in canalling were based 
upon a false, though somewhat plausible theory; the margin 
being rich, they very naturally came to the conclusion that the 
bed of the river must be much more so. It appears, however, 
that gold does not settle in the channel, but is borne along until 
some abrupt bend in the river checks the current, when it set¬ 
tles, together with the stone and earth, forming bars, which have 
been described in a former chapter. It is understood that these 
bars are formed during the rainy season. Torrents rush down 
the mountains, and on reaching the stream unite in bearing 
along the precious freight. It may seem strange that.the cur¬ 
rent can convey gold to any considerable distance; it is never¬ 
theless true, and it may seem less strange to one who has known 
the river to rise from twenty to thirty feet in as many hours. 
In such freshets the natural channel has no influence, the tor¬ 
rents claiming for their boundaries the mountains that tower up 
on either side. What is rain in the moderately elevated regions, 
is snow as you advance higher up into the mountains. This 
causes a long season of high water. The snow does not dissolve 
during the rainy season, the sun being obscured—but at its 
cessation torrents rush down the side of the mountains, and, not 
unfrequently, huge masses of snow, as if impatient of their slow 
dissolution, will break loose from their fastenings, and with a 
terrific sweep dash into the chasm below. At this season of 
the year the rise and fall of the rivers are as uniform as the tides. 
