Travels in the gold and diamond districts of Brazil; describing the methods of working the mines, the natural productions, agriculture, and commerce, and the customs and manners of the inhabitants: to which is added a brief account of the process of amalgamation practised in Peru and Chili . teen wide, con-sisting of upright posts which support a roofthatched with long grass. Down the middle ofthe area of this shed a current of water is con-veyed through a canal covered with strong planks,on which the cascalho is laid two or three feetthick. On the other side of the area is a flooringof planks
Travels in the gold and diamond districts of Brazil; describing the methods of working the mines, the natural productions, agriculture, and commerce, and the customs and manners of the inhabitants: to which is added a brief account of the process of amalgamation practised in Peru and Chili . teen wide, con-sisting of upright posts which support a roofthatched with long grass. Down the middle ofthe area of this shed a current of water is con-veyed through a canal covered with strong planks,on which the cascalho is laid two or three feetthick. On the other side of the area is a flooringof planks, from four to five yards long, embeddedin clay, extending the whole length of the shed,and having a slope from the canal, of three or fourinches to a yard. This flooring is divided intoabout twenty compartments or troughs, eachabout three feet wide, by means of planks placedon their edge. The upper ends of all thesetroughs (here called canoes) communicate withthe canal, and are so formed that water is ad-mitted into them between two planks that areabout an inch separate. Through this openingthe current falls about six inches into the trough,and may be directed to any part of it, or stoppedat pleasure by means of a small quantity of instance, sometimes water is required only. NEGROES TObSmBBS FOR EJAMEKDS, GOLD fcc. OVERSEERS. 317 from one corner of the aperture, then the re-maining part is stopped; sometimes it is wantedfrom the centre, then the extremes are stopped;and sometimes only a gentle rill is wanted, thenthe clay is applied accordingly. Along the lowerends of the troughs a small channel is dug to caiTyoff the water. On the heap of cascalho, at equal distances, areplaced three high chairs* for the officers or over-seers. After they are seated, the negroes f enterthe troughs, each provided with a rake of a pecu-liar form and short handle, with which he rakesinto the trough ahout fifty or eighty pounds weightof cascalho. The water being then let in upon it,the c
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookpublisherlondonprintedforlong, bookyear1825
