Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-05-02

gold, .chether in detached particles and
pieces, or in veins, Uas created in combine
tion with the quartz. Gold is not found on
the surface Of the country presenting the
appearance Of having been thrown up and
scattered in all directions by volcanic ac-
tion. 1t is only found in particular local
tiles, and attended by peculiar circumstan-
ces and indications. It is found in the bars
and shoals of the rivers-in ravines, and
in what are called the diggings.
The-rivers, in forming their channels,
or breaking their way through the hills,
have come in contact with the quartz con-
tanning the gold veins, and by constant at
triton cut the gold into fine flakes and dust,
and it is found among the sand and gravel
oftheir beds at those places where the
swiitness Of the current reduces it, in the
dry season, TO the narrowest possible
limits, and where wide margin is, con-
sequently, left on each side, over which
the water rushes, during the wet season,
with great force. .-.....-..... ..-e.-.
As the velocity ofsome streams is great
er than others, so is the gold found in fine
or coarse particles, apparentlycorrespond-
ing 10 the degree Of attrition to which it
has been exposed. The water from the
hills and upper valleys, in findingit way
TO the rivers, has cut deep ravines, and,
wherever it came in contact with the
quartz, has dissolved or crumbled it in
pieces. #a .a=za .*>.ss as-.ss.
In the dry season these channels are
mostly without water, and gold is found
in the beds and margins Of many of them
in large quantities, but in much coarser
state than in the rivers; owing, undoubt-
edly, TO the moderate flow and temporary
continuance of the current, which has re.
duced it to smooth shapes, not unlike peb-
! bles, but had not sufficient force 10 cut il
into flakes or dust. ..............
The dry diggings are places where
quartz containing gold has cropped out, ,and
been disintegrated, crumbled to fragments
pebbles, and dust, by the action OF water
and the atmosphere. The gold has been
left as it was made, in all imaginable
shapes; in pieces Of all sizes, from one
grain to several pounds in weight. The
| evidences that it was created in combina.
tion with quartz are too numerous ant
| striking to admit Of doubt or cavil. The,
are found in combination in large quaint
ties.
A very large proportion Of the pieces
Of gold found in these situations have more
or less quartz adhering to them. In many
specimens they are SO combined they can
not be separated without reducing th'
whole mass to powder, ,and subjecting it t.
the action of quicksilver.
Thi. gold, not having been exposed t.
the attrition Of strong current of water
retains, in great degree, its original con
formation.
i These diggipgs, in some places, sprea
over valleys Of considerable extent, whic
have the appearance of an allurion, form
ed by washings from the adjoining hills, I
decomposed quartz and slate earth, an
vegetable matter. 49,
In addition to these facts it is beyon
doubt true. that several vein-mines l,av
been discovered in the quartz, from whic
numerous specimens have been take'
, showing the minute connexion betwee
the gold and the rock, and indicating
value hitherto unknown in gold-minin.
These veins do not present the appea,
ance Of places where gold may have bee
} lodged by some violent eruption. II
combined with the quartz, in all imagins
BILE forms and degrees Of richness.
j The rivers present very striking, ane
it would seem, conclusive evidence res
pec'ing the quantity Of gold remaining ur
discovered in the dry diggings, and that
the river-the former in Jumps, the latter
dust-was created by different processe'
That which is found in the rivers has Iii
doubtedly been cut or worn from the vein
j in the rock, with which their current
have come in contact. All of them appes
to be equally rich. This is shown by th
fact that a laboring man may collect nea'
ly as much in one river as he can in anotf
err. They intersect and cut through III
gold regioa, running from east to west, :;
, irregular distances of fifteen to twenty
and perhaps some Of them thirty, mile
. apart.
Hence it appear. that the gold veins ar
/ equally rich in all parts OF that most re
+ markable section Of country. Were
wanting, there are further proofs of this i
the ravines and dry diggings, whlc', uni
formly confirm what nature so plainl
shows in the rivers.
For the purpose Of forming some opin
ion respecting the probable amount or val
tie of treasure in the gold region, it wi
be proper to state the estimates which hav
been made of the quantity collected sine
its discovery.
Gold was first discovered on the soul
fork Of the American river, at place cal
led Suffers mill, now CoIoma-late i
May or early in June, lS49. Information
which could be relied on announcing thi
discovery was not received in this city un
til late in the following autumn.
No immigration into the mines could
therefore, have taken place from the State
in that year. The number ofminers was
consequently, limited 10 the population G
: the terri,ory-some five hundred mel
from Oregon-Mexisans and other for
eigners who happened to be in the coun
try, or came into it during the summer am
autumn, and the Indians, who were elm
ployed by or sold their gold 10 the whites
Ii is supposed there were not Tar iror