The cradles were set along at the water’s edge. The dirt was carried from the bank to the water in tin pans and poured into the upper part of the machine—or that part called the screen. This was a box about 15 inches square, with a sheet iron bottom perforated with holes about one-half inch in diameter.
A pan full of pay dirt was dug and turned into the screen and water poured upon it freely, while the cradle was rocked vigorously. This separated the coarse gravel and small stones from the sand, which passed to the bottom of the machine and was carried away by the water, while the gold being much heavier than the sand and gravel, was left at the bottom of the cradle.
The cradles were from three to four feet in length, with two or three bars across the bottom. The miners at this place were making from $10 to $30 a day, and a great majority were immigrants that had just come in over the country, and consequently were new hands at mining, each learning by experience the knack of separating the gold from the sand as best he could. We had endeavored to gain some information in regard to the process before we commenced here, but had not succeeded farther than what knowledge we could acquire by watching others do the work, and imitating the process as far as possible.
Everything in the mines is quiet, and although traders and others leave large quantities of gold dust entirely exposed, there is said to be almost no thefts committed. Many of the traders are also miners, and very many have not even a tent in which to store their goods, and have no safe or bank to deposit it in—not even a trunk to place their gold in to keep it from the sight of those who are easily tempted, or are devoid of principle.
I have seen quantities of several thousand dollars worth of gold dust lying in full sight, while the owner at the same time would be away at work at the river, a quarter or a half mile away.
If a person is so unfortunate as to be taken seriously sick here it seems almost an impossibility for him to recover and regain his former strength. This probably is owing much more to the manner of living, and to the poor quality of food, than to the climate.
Scurvy is very prevalent among the land immigrants, and in this country at this time is one of the most serious diseases we have among us. To cure the scurvy requires a vegetable diet, which cannot be had at any price in the mines at the present time.
The flour is almost all musty, having been shipped around Cape Horn in the hold of a vessel; pork is rusty, as it is called, some of it nearly spoiled. Flour and pork are the two principal articles of diet.
Sometimes beef can be had and that is of the best quality. California beef is just as good as any. Physicians’ charges are exorbitant, fifty or a hundred dollars not being considered at all high for a professional visit. This is certainly a very hard country for a sick man. It is often said that if a man is taken sick here that he is no better than dead.
There are some cases of recovery, however. Many die of scurvy, of fevers of different kinds, and other diseases. The sudden changes of climate probably may cause considerable sickness.