mines, in order to bring it down to the standard fineness of the
United-States gold-currency. All the Nova-Scotia gold is uncommonly
bright and beautiful to the eye, and it has often been remarked by
jewellers and other experts to whom it has been shown, that it more
nearly resembles the appearance of the gold of the old Venetian
ducats--coined mostly, it is supposed, from the sands of Guinea--than
any other bullion for many years brought into the gold-market.

In regard to the most important point of the whole subject, namely, the
average yield per ton of quartz crushed at the various mills, we are
fortunately enabled to give the official returns of the Deputy
Gold-Commissioners for the several districts, as made to the Chief
Commissioner at Halifax. A few words of explanation as to the definite
and statistical character of these returns may be of value here, in
order to prevent or to correct much misconception and want of knowledge
with regard to their absolute reliability.

In the first place, then, every miner, or the agent or chief
superintendent of each mine, is required by law to make a quarterly
return of the amount of days' labor expended at his mine, the number of
tons of quartz raised and crushed, and the quantity of gold obtained
from the whole,--neglecting to do which, he forfeits his entire claim,
and the Gold-Commissioner is then empowered to grant it to another
purchaser.

These returns are therefore made with the utmost regularity and with the
greatest care. But as the royalty of three per cent. to the Government
is exacted on the amount of this return, whatever it may be, it is
obvious that there exists no motive on the part of the miner to
exaggerate the amount in making his statement. We may be as sure that