1with an iron shovel and agitated hither and thither in
the water, until the
sand flows away and only the tin-stone remains on the shovel. The tin
stone is all collected together and washed again in a trough by pushing it
up and turning it over with a wooden trowel, in order that the remaining
sand may separate from it. Afterward they return to their task, which they
continue until the metalliferous material is exhausted, or until the water can
no longer be diverted into the ditches.
sand flows away and only the tin-stone remains on the shovel. The tin
stone is all collected together and washed again in a trough by pushing it
up and turning it over with a wooden trowel, in order that the remaining
sand may separate from it. Afterward they return to their task, which they
continue until the metalliferous material is exhausted, or until the water can
no longer be diverted into the ditches.
The trough which I mentioned is hewn out of the trunk of a tree and the
interior is five feet long, three-quarters of a foot deep, and six digits wide.
It is placed on an incline and under it is put a tub which contains interwoven
fir twigs, or else another trough is put under it, the interior of which is three
feet long and one foot wide and deep; the fine tin-stone, which has run out
with the water, settles in the bottom. Some people, in place of a trough,
put a square launder underneath, and in like manner they wash the tin
stone in this by agitating it up and down and turning it over with a small
wooden trowel. A transverse trough is put under the launder, which is
either open on one end and drains off into a tub or settling-pit, or else is
closed and perforated through the bottom; in this case, it drains into a
ditch beneath, where the water falls when the plug has been partly removed.
The nature of this ditch I will now describe.
interior is five feet long, three-quarters of a foot deep, and six digits wide.
It is placed on an incline and under it is put a tub which contains interwoven
fir twigs, or else another trough is put under it, the interior of which is three
feet long and one foot wide and deep; the fine tin-stone, which has run out
with the water, settles in the bottom. Some people, in place of a trough,
put a square launder underneath, and in like manner they wash the tin
stone in this by agitating it up and down and turning it over with a small
wooden trowel. A transverse trough is put under the launder, which is
either open on one end and drains off into a tub or settling-pit, or else is
closed and perforated through the bottom; in this case, it drains into a
ditch beneath, where the water falls when the plug has been partly removed.
The nature of this ditch I will now describe.
If the locality does not supply an abundance of water, the washers dig a
ditch thirty or thirty-six feet long, and cover the bottom, the full length, with
logs joined together and hewn on the side which lies flat on the ground. On
each side of the ditch, and at its head also, they place four logs, one above
the other, all hewn smooth on the inside. But since the logs are laid
obliquely along the sides, the upper end of the ditch is made four feet wide
and the tail end, two feet. The water has a high drop from a launder and
first of all it falls into interlaced fir twigs, in order that it shall fall straight
down for the most part in an unbroken stream and thus break up the lumps
by its weight. Some do not place these twigs under the end of the launder,
but put a plug in its mouth, which, since it does not entirely close the launder,
nor altogether prevent the discharge from it, nor yet allow the water to
spout far afield, makes it drop straight down. The workman brings in a
wheelbarrow the material to be washed, and throws it into the ditch. The
washer standing in the upper end of the ditch breaks the lumps with a seven
pronged fork, and throws out the roots of trees, shrubs, and grass with the
same instrument, and thereby the small black stones settle down. When a
large quantity of the tin-stone has accumulated, which generally happens
when the washer has spent a day at this work, to prevent it from being
washed away he places it upon the bank, and other material having been
again thrown into the upper end of the ditch, he continues the task of washing.
A boy stands at the lower end of the ditch, and with a thin pointed hoe
stirs up the sediment which has settled at the lower end, to prevent the
washed tin-stone from being carried further, which occurs when the sediment
has accumulated to such an extent that the fir branches at the outlet of the
ditch are covered.
ditch thirty or thirty-six feet long, and cover the bottom, the full length, with
logs joined together and hewn on the side which lies flat on the ground. On
each side of the ditch, and at its head also, they place four logs, one above
the other, all hewn smooth on the inside. But since the logs are laid
obliquely along the sides, the upper end of the ditch is made four feet wide
and the tail end, two feet. The water has a high drop from a launder and
first of all it falls into interlaced fir twigs, in order that it shall fall straight
down for the most part in an unbroken stream and thus break up the lumps
by its weight. Some do not place these twigs under the end of the launder,
but put a plug in its mouth, which, since it does not entirely close the launder,
nor altogether prevent the discharge from it, nor yet allow the water to
spout far afield, makes it drop straight down. The workman brings in a
wheelbarrow the material to be washed, and throws it into the ditch. The
washer standing in the upper end of the ditch breaks the lumps with a seven
pronged fork, and throws out the roots of trees, shrubs, and grass with the
same instrument, and thereby the small black stones settle down. When a
large quantity of the tin-stone has accumulated, which generally happens
when the washer has spent a day at this work, to prevent it from being
washed away he places it upon the bank, and other material having been
again thrown into the upper end of the ditch, he continues the task of washing.
A boy stands at the lower end of the ditch, and with a thin pointed hoe
stirs up the sediment which has settled at the lower end, to prevent the
washed tin-stone from being carried further, which occurs when the sediment
has accumulated to such an extent that the fir branches at the outlet of the
ditch are covered.