noon
Ned and his friends , you may be sure , were not last to leave their beds and commence digging in their separate claims , which they resolved to work out by means of pan-washing , until they made a little ready cash , after which they purposed constructing two rockers , and washing out the gold more systematically and profitably . They commenced by removing the surface-soil to the depth of about three feet , a work of no small labour , until the subsoil , or `` pay-dirt , '' was reached . Of this they dug out a small quantity , and washed it ; put the produce of black sand and gold into leathern bags , and then , digging out another panful , washed it as before . Thus they laboured till noon , when they rested for an hour and dined . Then they worked on again until night and exhaustion compelled them to desist ; when they returned to camp , dried and blew away the sand , weighed the gold , which was put carefully into a general purse -- named by Larry the `` R'yal Bank o ' Calyforny '' -- after which they supped , and retired to rest . The gold was found at various depths , the `` dirt '' on the bed-rock being the richest , as gold naturally , in consequence of its weight , sinks through all other substances , until arrested in its downward career by the solid rock . Of course , the labour was severe to men unaccustomed to the peculiar and constant stooping posture they were compelled to adopt , and on the second morning more than one of the party felt as if he had been seized with lumbago , but this wore off in the course of a day or two .