The Nevada journal., 1851-10-18

The following lucid theory Of th|
formation of the gold deposits in thi
country is from "Guide TO the Col
Region" by E. p. Hierzbicker, III l
AT some remote period in the his
tory of the Globe, the same inferno
convulsions that heaved up the .Sierr
Nevada, have also upheaved the au |
riferous hills, which at first presented
a naked surface to the ATMOSPHERIC
changes, by the influence of which,thi
quartz constantly breaking up,left fire
the precious metal on its surface. III
the progress of time, the same atmoi
pheric influences caused to accumu5
late ON these hills, soil, which grew
deeper with every decay of vegetation
till it grew strong enough to support
the majestic oak. The freed particles
of gold thus became covered by the|
the soil, and mixed up with it, and
the process of the separation OF thd
metal from the stone was arrested
How gold was injected into the veins
of quartz is more than VIC can say, bu
the fact that it was so in a liquid state
is beyond question, as we see it adap
itself to the sides of the stone in al
imaginable forms, from the finest
filam ent to the largest lump ever
found, with most varied indent
ed surface, tear-like appearance, as is
the case with all melting substanccs.l
When freed external friction of course
modifies lis appearance more or less Il
hence we find it, in rivers particularly,
in fine flakes, but when it is in larger
bulk it puts on plats-likc appearance,
MS if it were hammered out by the
hands of an arizan, as really IL Is, byI
the frequently enormous weight oil
stone, under which it is deposited.
Water, that universal carrier, wash
ing the sides of the hills, brought the
gold from their surface into the ravincs
and rivers, TO which its own weight
facilitated the progress.
According to the strength OF the
current of waters, the weight of the
particles of gold, and the obstacles in
the way, it is deposited in one or a
mother spot, the lighter particles OF
course floating away the farthest from
the original bed. AS this process of
gold deposition has taken place in
some remote period Of the carth's ex-
istcnce, hence we find all these dcpos-
its, generally speaking, covered with
greater or smaller depth Of soil. sand,
gravel and stones. Strictly speaking,
gold does not belong to the rivers, it
was washed into them from the hills;
hence it is useless to look for gold at
the head of these streams, when the
neighboring hills Are not of the aurif-
erous nature and we find the fact
corroborated by our personal exami-
nation Of the heads of the streams Of
the gold region. The same rule holds
good, for the same reasons, in regard
to the lower portion Of gold carry
ing stream, except that is limited by
the fact that light particles of gold
may be deposited considerable dis
tancc below their original source.
"The MODE Of deposite being made
clear, it will be equally clear that il is
rot ON every spot in this auriierous
region that we must look for gold,
which past experience proves to be
true; or at least it is not on every spot
that we can find enough OF il to make
it an object to bestow our labor ON it.
Hence it equally follows, the limitation
of the quantity of gold 10 be expected
from the mines as a general aggregate,
however rich they may prove
Horace reeley,whose "Glanccs at
Europe" are read with so much inter-