As The Gold On This Circumference
Is Found In Coarser Grains Than In The Streams Running Toward The Centre,
Or
Tete, I imagine that the real gold-field lies round about the coal-field;
and, if I am right in
The conjecture, then we have coal encircled
by a gold-field, and abundance of wood, water, and provisions -
a combination not often met with in the world. The inhabitants are not
unfavorable to washings, conducted on the principle formerly mentioned.
At present they wash only when in want of a little calico.
They know the value of gold perfectly well, for they bring it for sale
in goose-quills, and demand 24 yards of calico for one penful.
When the rivers in the district of Manica and other gold-washing places
have been flooded, they leave a coating of mud on the banks.
The natives observe the spots which dry soonest, and commence digging there,
in firm belief that gold lies beneath. They are said not to dig
deeper than their chins, believing that if they did so the ground
would fall in and kill them. When they find a `piece' or flake of gold,
they bury it again, from the superstitious idea that this
is the seed of the gold, and, though they know the value of it well,
they prefer losing it rather than the whole future crop. This conduct
seemed to me so very unlikely in men who bring the dust in quills,
and even put in a few seeds of a certain plant as a charm
to prevent their losing any of it on the way, that I doubted
the authority of my informant; but I found the report verified
by all the Portuguese who knew the native language and mode of thinking,
and give the statement for what it is worth.
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