LOST GOLD [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sia,—The recent discovery of long lost gold carrying reefs at Luipaards Vlei Ten, on the Randfontein, in South Africa, once more demonstrates how often Nature has sought to hide away its treasures from the prying eyes of man. In this instance an underground convulsion sundered the reefs, and for twenty years attempts to find them had been unavailing.
Somewhat similar is the romantic and well vouched for story of the lost lake—Lingard's Lake—in Northern California, which disappeared after being discovered by a Swede of the name of Lingard, who found its bottom was covered with gold nuggets. Thousands of men in all searched for it for close upon fifty years. Its wealth has now been brought to light by dredging. The year in which the Swede made his discovery (1858) was an exceptionally dry year and the lake was only one of a chain of small lakes. No such small lake was ever dis- covered, for the simple reason that the normal years which followed caused all the little lakes to be linked up, and one great lake was formed. Indeed, it was only by the sheerest luck, as my uncle has told me, that the site of Lingard's treasure lake was discovered.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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