A Man Sand Washing for Gold somewhere in Baltistan
The Gazetteer of Kashmir and Ladakh of 1890 is a treasure trove of information regarding various aspects in the state. This is the small little Chapter in the Gazetteer which talks of Gold prospecting in the Riyasat. And of course it talks of some Gold mining in Baltistan. But it mentions that Gold was still pretty tough to find and hardly an economically viable activity for the labour it involved. I wonder where did Herodotus get the reference for the Gold Digging Ants of Byltae ?
Gold.-Hugel is probably correct in his statement that neither gold nor silver has been found ; but he adds, "neither do the streams hear down gold dust, as in the neighboring countries."
This latter statement is disproved, as far as concerns the Shingo river, by Captain Montgomerie, R.E., who, in his account of the progress of the Kashmir survey, gives the following particulars regarding gold-washing in that stream "The drainage, escaping from the plains of Deosai, through a not easily distinguished gorge near the Katasiri station, falls into the Dras River above Kirkikhu. This tributary of the Dras River is called the Shigar and sometimes the Shingo river; it brings down gold with its waters, and gold-washing is carried on just below the junction. The Indus itself and several of its tributaries are known to produce gold.
The point at which the Shingo River meets the Drass River
The gold-washing in said not to be valuable, but it does sometimes give as much as one or two small rupees a day to a man, though a most barbarous method is employed in washing the earth. Thin earth is taken from the detritus which, I think, now generally lies above the highest flood line. After two or three washings, a black, heavyish sort of sand is left,, with the pieces of gold scattered here and there. As far as my own experience goes, I should say it was not a very profitable business, for after half an hour's washing I only got five very tiny nuggets hardly worth an anna, and I had, at the time, the benefit of the assistance of an Australian gentleman. This gentleman thought that something might be done by investing in a cradle aod apparatus. He said that a substance like the black send mentioned above had proved valuable in Australia."
Gold-washing is also carried on on the banks of the Jhelum, in the neighborhood of Tangrot, north of Jhelum, but to a very trifling extent. In the trans-Himalayan province gold is found in the bede of the Zanskar,Indus, and Basha rivers.
The Confluence of the Indus and the Zanskar
The people of Skardu are in the habit of coming every spring to the junction of the Zanskar river with the Indus, to search for Gold brought down by the melting of the winter Snow. Vigne says that on the banks of the Basha stream more gold is produced than in any other- part of Baltistan, and this was the only place which the former Raja reserved for himself. Any other person might wash the sand for gold elsewhere, but the value of the quantity collected at the end of the time expended is so nearly balanced that Vigne never saw any gold diggers but on one occasion (at Kiris). Here four or five men were employed, and must have washed and sifted a great many bushels of earth, but the quantity of gold dust obtained was not more than would cover a shilling.
Ladies learning Gold prospecting on the Shimsal River in Hunza
Apparently there still is a Tribe called Sonewal in the Shina language that pan the Rivers for Gold in Gilgit Baltistan and they sell their Gold to the jewellers in Gilgit apparently. But Gold prospecting still gives hope and some employment to people in these harsh Mountains.