EL DORADO AT LAST.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3409, 25 November 1879, Page 3

EL DORADO AT LAST.

The dreams of Spaniards 300 years ago, that there.existed m the interior of South America a land of gold with a golden city for its capital, ruled over by a king literally clad in the precioua metal—a dream which aroused the cupidity of the Spanish conquisadores and their English rivals, and lead them in their attempts at tho realisation of their hopes, into greater excess than were committed in any other sanguinary expe titioas—this dream which excited the imagination of Kaleigh, and led to his dovyutall, is actually it appears being reriueA-At-tlik.

tlrite in tin? quielast and most peaceful manner. For many yoirs past dqvisits of £jo]<.l in Venezuela, an i in the interior of Dutch ami French Guiana, have been successfully worked ; and although t!io " gilded man" lias not been found, and tho " go'den city" is still a myth, the region of ;>ol: which they typified seems at las?. !o have been discovered in the very districts in H-hifiii the heated imaginations of the Spanish adventurers of 300 years a«o placed it, to be enjoyed, hivri'ver, not by !*h« dcscondtin's ot the conquerors of the new world, but. by their English, French, and Dutch rivals and successors. In French Guiana gold digging commenced in 1850, and in the next six years about l:i,l2lVz. of gold were procured. A. few years Inter the Dutch settlers began to work the goldfields in their colony, and in the two years ended 1877, gold to the r.-ilue of £25,000 was exported to Amsterdam. In the meantime, still greater progress has been mado in Venezuelan territory adjoining. In 18GU, about 20,0000z of gold were obtained there, and the introduction of iruprorei machinery during the last ten years has largely increased !hc output. Considerable numbers of Cornish miners from California and British Columbia, and laborers from the different West India Islands ir.ve been attracted to these fields ; nnd now it is reported from Suriman and Cayenne rich veins of gold hare been found simultaneously in several parts of the auriferous area, which bids fair to eclipse the wealth of both California and Australia. One man, it is stated, in four weeks gathered upwards of 4A)lb weight of pure gold with little labor; and similar instances of the abundance of the metal are numerous. A regular rush has taken place towards the diggings, and it is feared that complications may ensue if precautions arc not promptly taken, in consequence of the conflicting claims of English, Dutch and French settlers, of citizr-ns of the Venezuelan Republic and of the native tribes. Although gold has not been actually worked in British Guiana, its existence in the interior has been long suspected and even ascertained ; and the fresh discovery must have an important influence on the future of the colony.