On the Diamond and Gold Mines of Borneo. 123 



Art. XXI. — Notice of the Diamond and Gold Mines of the 

 Residency of the North- West Coast of Borneo. * 



The mines in the Residency of the north-west coast of Bor- 

 neo are worked by the Daya, Malayu, and Chinese. The for- 

 mer proceed in the following manner : A shaft barely sufficient 

 to permit the miner to turn round in, or at the utmost two feet 

 in diameter, is sunk to the Areng. This is from one, to three 

 feet in thickness, and is dug out to the extent of seven or eight 

 feet from the sides of the shaft, under the upper strata, which 

 sometimes is propped up ; but the laziness or improvidence of 

 the Daya is such, that this precaution is often forgotten, the 

 upper strata fall in, and the miners miserably perish. These 

 accidents most frequently occur when an adjacent shaft is sunk, 

 which is thus done : — The Areng in the first mine being ex- 

 pended, and the course of the vein ascertained, a new shaft is 

 sunk in that direction at the distance of fifteen or sixteen feet 

 from the preceding, to enable the miners when arrived at the 

 Areng to work back to their former mine, and the same pro- 

 cess is repeated till the vein be exhausted. The Areng is 

 hoisted up in small baskets by bambus, on the ends of which 

 part of a branch being left forms a small hook. 



The search for the diamonds is conducted in an equally 

 simple manner. Small dulans, circular trays slightly converg- 

 ing towards the centre, are nearly filled with Areng, and the 

 Daya, seating himself in the nearest stream, immerses the dulan, 

 and works the Areng by hand until the earthy particles begin 

 to separate ; the dulan is then brought to the surface, and a 

 rotatory motion is given to it, until the water it contains, being 

 saturated with earthy matter, is poured off, and this is conti- 

 nued till such time as the water comes away clean. The peb- 

 bles, &c. which remain in the centre then undergo a strict exa- 

 mination. 



The Malayu proceed in nearly a similar manner ; but the 

 superior intelligence of the Chinese teaches them to use a more 

 efficient process. The Chinese seldom sink a shaft, but avail 



* From the Singapore Chronicle, Oct. 11th, 1827. Communicated by 

 George Swinton, Esq. 



