Now it was really good ground only down close to the bed rock, but all the dirt had some gold in it, and if a way could be invented to work it fast enough, such ground would pay.

So the plan of hydraulic mining was experimented upon.
The water was brought in a ditch or flume to the top of a high bank, and then terminated in a tight box.

To this box was attached a large hose made by hand out of canvas, and a pipe and nozzle attached to the lower end of the hose.

Now as the bank was often 100 feet or more high the water at this head, when directed through the nozzle against the bank, fairly melted it away into liquid mud.

Imagine us located a mile above the river on the side of a mountain.