THURSDAY 29th
Having our Tent arrangements completed to day, we began to think Strong of using the Pick Ax and Shovel, for the first time We soon found by observation that not more than three Could work together at a good advantage with one Rocker or Cradle. Excelsior Company being in Number Six, We concluded to work three in a party each party having a Cradle of it Own. These Machines (if you have them Made) will cost from 32 to 64 Dollars. We having a large Chest with us, we concluded to knock it apart and turn it into Gold washers, and when done we found ourselves in possession of two very fine ones. Early this Morning We took our tools Pans etc, and Set out on a prospecting Cruise. This is done in order to tell where it will pay to go washing with the Machine. We followed a ravine from our tent to its head tried Several pans of dirt but Could get no More than 6 or 8 cents to the pan. This we thought would hardly pay two hundred pans is considered a days work for three men. eight cents a pan would be 16 dollars, 5-33 for each Man. So we concluded to pass on to the Next Ravine. at 12 O Clock we found a Spot that paid about 14 cents to the pan this we thought would do to begin with and got the Machine to work amediatly.