gradually wash out the earth, and separate the gravel
by hand, leaving nothing but the gold mixed with sand, which is
separated in the manner before described. The gold in the Lower Mines
is in fine bright scales, of which I send several specimens.

"As we ascended the south branch of the American fork, the country
became more broken and mountainous, and twenty-five miles below the
lower washings the hills rise to about 1000 feet above the level of the
Sacramento Plain. Here a species of pine occurs, which led to the
discovery of the gold. Captain Sutter, feeling the great want of
lumber, contracted in September last with a Mr. Marshall to build a
saw-mill at that place. It was erected in the course of the past winter
and spring--a dam and race constructed; but when the water was let on
the wheel, the tail race was found to be too narrow to permit the water
to escape with sufficient rapidity. Mr. Marshall, to save labour, let
the water directly into the race with a strong current, so as to wash
it wider and deeper. He effected his purpose, and a large bed of mud
and gravel was carried to the foot of the race. One day Mr. Marshall,
as he was walking down the race to this deposit of mud, observed some
glittering particles at its upper edge; he gathered a few, examined
them, and became satisfied of their value. He then went to the fort,
told Captain Sutter of his discovery, and they agreed to keep it secret
until a certain grist-mill of Sutter's was finished. It, however, got
out and spread like magic. Remarkable success attended the labours of
the first explorers, and, in a few weeks, hundreds of men were drawn
thither. At the time of my visit, but little more than three months
after its first discovery, it was estimated that upwards of four
thousand people were employed. At the mill there is a fine deposit or
bank of gravel, which the people respect as the property of Captain
Sutter, though he pretends to no right to it, and would be perfectly
satisfied with the simple promise of a pre-emption on account of the
mill which he has built there at a considerable cost. Mr. Marshall was
living near the mill, and informed me that many persons were employed
above and below him; that they used the same machines as at the lower
washings, and that their success was about the same--ranging from one
to three ounces of gold per man daily. This gold, too, is in scales a
little coarser than those of the lower mines. From the mill Mr.
Ma