California

In the *Voyage round the World*, by Captain George Shelvocke, begun Feb. 1719, he says of California (*Harris's Collection*, vol. i. p. 233.):— "The soil about Puerto, Seguro, and very likely in most of the valleys, is a rich black mould, which, as you turn it fresh up to the sun, appears as if intermingled with gold dust; some of which we endeavoured to purify and wash from the dirt; but though we were a little prejudiced against the thoughts that it could be possible that this metal should be so promiscuously and universally mingled with common earth, yet we endeavoured to cleanse and wash t…