19th-century gold mining, Australia. Artwork of Chinese workers excavating and washing gold ores at a gold mine in Australia. The worker in the foreground is using a device called a cradle (berceau) to wash ores containing gold. The rocks, sands and gravel from the excavations are placed in the upper box, which has a perforated base. Water is poured over the rocks to carry the lighter rocks and specks of gold to the lower level. This lower level is an inclined plane, covered in a blanket. The device is rocked using the lever, and the lighter waste gravel exits at right, while the gold collects at the other end of the device. Artwork from Mines and Miners (L. Simonin, 1868).