3-012-015 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Chaudière Gold-Fields, Canada: the diggings on a tributary of the Chaudière, 1864. 'Forty-eight years ago a woman, engaged in washing, found a large nugget of gold, which she sold for a trifle as a curious stone...In 1849 a small company was formed...and a great deal of gold was found, but not enough to enable the directors to declare a dividend...Since the abandonment of the company's works a few of the neighbouring habitans have obtained considerable quantities by means of washing with tin pans. As few strangers visited the locality, they managed to conceal their great success until a year ago, when a new party struck upon a deposit so rich that secrecy was no longer possible. The result has been that a gold fever raged all last summer, and threatens to break out again with increased fury whenever gold-washing can be resumed...During last season the men engaged to give one fourth of the gold found as tribute: as this, however, depended entirely upon their own good faith, it is impossible to estimate the average yield per man. One party of four, during eleven days' work, gave up 2 lb. 9 oz. as tribute...Some others gave quantities more or less reasonable, but by far the greater number made no return whatever'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.