The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-04-23
For ns Herald Of FrsAiosn.
Hints TO Gold Hunters.

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as to require considerable skill in the op-
Grafton. Time ard practice can alone
perfect the miner; but the following hints,
if carefully studied, will materially aid
him, and may save him from some follies
and grieyous disappointments. Gold is
found in hills, gulches, fats, ravines, creeks
and "slides," but invaribly in ground
that presents traces of the action of wa
ter at some day. Small smooth quartz
boulders, which look as if they had been
rolled upon the sea beach for centuries,
are almost invariably found where gold
exists. In rare instances it is found in
slate. These boulders should lie in reg
ular strata upon or near the bed rock. If
they be upon or near the surface, the in
dication is less favorable. 1t requires
the smallest prospect" to pay in hillside
diggings. These should always be work.
ed with sluices, as they are generally the
best and most profitable machines for
saving gold. If float gold, quick sill
yer should be used, and the amalgam
roasted upon small fire in the open air,
until the gold shows plainly. 1t should
then be washed carefully in strong vine
gar or nitric acid and again roasted, the
operator keeping to the windward of the
fire, to avoid salvation. If proper care
be used, there is no danger Rockers are
worthless, except where there is but little
pay dirt, and that'very rich they should
not often be used. Toms require more
labor, and save the gold no better than
sluices; "pocket rifle" sluices, model os
one of which l lately saw at Lawrence,
are almost worthless. As long ago as
1852, l used very nice and expensive
one, and, on thorough trial, it proved to
be decided humbug. The best sluice is
made of clear pine lumber, one inch
thick, and twelve feet long, the sides ten
inches high, bottom inside ten inches
wide at one end and twelve at the other;
the smaller end of each box being made
to fit into the larger end of the box be-
low it. Five such boxes make a very
good sluice, but more or less may be
used. "Riffles'' are needed only in the
lower ends of the two lower boxes, but
stones should be kept at convenient dis
tances in all, to prevent their being, at
any time, swept clear of sand. The bot
tom of each box at its upper end, for a
short space, should always be kept bare,
that the gold may settle more readily
The sluice should be set up at an angle
with the horizon, of about 15o. To
carry the water into it, hose made Of
common cotton drilling, or light canvas,
is necessary. Common width go inches)
drilling is precisely double width hose
cloth. To prevent its leaking, run mud
dy water through it for few minutes
The quicksilver must never come in con-
tact with any metal except the gold and
iron, as it amalgamates too freely hence
miners should provide themselves with
iron pans. When 1t begins to exhibit a
greasy appearance, put saleratus upon 1t
and it will soon be cleansed. In surface
diggings, long handled, round pointed
shovels, made of the very best and hard
est steel, are best At the Kansas or
Rocky Mountain mines, the climate is so
cold that deep or cayote diggings must
be found for winter employment, as sur
face diggings cannot be worked in freez-
ing weather. Under the Mountains
where many seem to be looking for rich
discoveries to be made during the coming
season, they will find nothing but stone
or some metal other than gold. The Cay
ote diggings must be sought in "slides"
and hillsides. "Slide" is term used to
signify portion of hill or mountain,
that at some former day has become de-
tached from its original position and gone
in an avalanche down into the bed of
some ancient stream, or landed upon
some bench of rock. They frequently
pay well, the gold being found upon the
bed rock where its superior weight settled
it during the avalanche; they are worked,
as are many hills, by tunnelling or drift
ing into their sides upon the bed rock
Fluming or racing rivers or large creeks,
very rarely pays expenses, and should al
ways be avoided. Many a California
miner has lost the hard earnings of years
by it. Fine gold diggings-although mi
ners are not apt to make so ''big strikes
in them-are generally preferable to
coarse, as they pay more steadily. The
places will often be found near the sur
face, seldom 100 feet, and frequently not
lso many inches below it. One of the
great wants of mining regions, is light
portable pump, that with the least outlay
of force, will elevate as much water as,
with twelve inches pressure, will run
through an aperture six inches long, and
one inch high, through an inch board
This is needed to elevate water for sluic-
ing on river bars and banks. Who will
invent and construct such pump?
The temptations that will beset the
miner, are fearful to contemplate. A
gold region naturally attracts not only
good men, but the select rascality of al
communities. 1t is but to be expected
that gambling. drunkenness, and kindred
vices will prevail to an alarming extent,
and the utmost pains will doubtless be
taken to render them attractive. Many
high minded honorable men have been
ruined by indulging these habits in the
mines os California, as others viii be at