The ground where it is found is about sixteen miles from Housa.
They go in the night with camels whose legs and feet are covered to
protect them against snakes, they take a bag of sand, and mark with
52 it the places that glitter with gold; in the morning they collect
where marked, and carry it to refiners, who, for a small sum,
separate the gold. There are no mountains or rivers near the spot,
it is a plain without sand, of a dark brown earth. Any person may
go to seek gold; they sell it to the merchants, who pay a small
duty to the king. The produce is uncertain; he has heard that a
bushel of earth has produced the value of twelve ducats, three
pounds sterling, of pure gold. They set out from Housa about two
o'clock in the afternoon, arrive about sun-set, and return the next
day seeking for gold during the whole night.