Crazy diggers.

[Roo]

Once read a book about the goldrush days here in Aus. Some of the things that went on were nuts! Some lucky finders who found so much gold they didn't know what to do with it all decided to load there guns with nuggets and use them for target practice. Another found so much he had his horse shod with pure gold horse shoes and rode it down the main street. How many ounces would that have taken!? At one place they just dove their pans into the gravels in the creek and panned of several ounces per panfull before they even thought of digging to the bottom. Was one place where they just pulled up the grass by the roots and shook out the gold nuggets from the dirt. A place called scramble gully there was gold lying everywhere and the diggers were seen scrambling about on hands and knees grabbing up the nuggets. Some even lay on the ground spread eagle with arms and legs outstretched waiting for their mates to come and peg the claim, claiming the ground like that! How nuts was that? Boy, who needed a detector then huh.

Must be similar stories from your gold fields too I guess.

[fredm]

Yes, when Major Downy came to what is now Downieville, California he said the gold was thick and could be picked from the surface gravel...his autobiography is very interesting.

fred

[DolanDave]

Hi Roo,

I come across old articles all the time with how much gold was found in the haydays. Take a look at this ad from a Forth of July celebration from 1906. Look at the first prize for the drilling contest, now there was some good gold back in the days.

[Roo]

First prize 17lb nugget Makes you wonder what they were finding to be able to give that away, now that is crazy diggers!