1865.] PERLEY — GOLD MINING IN NOVA SCOTIA. 217 



worked, giving employment to eight hundred and thirty-six 

 laborers. Thirty-four crushing-mills were in operation, twenty- 

 two of which are driven by steam power, and the remainder, or 

 twelve, by water. The average wages paid will be about one 

 dollar per day ; but very many of the miners, particularly those 

 from Great Britain, take contracts for sinking shafts, driving adits 

 and drifts, and for getting out the quartz. Where quartz is 

 crushed at a mill, the cost per ton for so doing varies from two to 

 three and a half dollars. 



The yield from all the mines for the year 1862 was 7,275 

 ounces; for the year 1863, 14,001 ounces; and for the three 

 quarters ending October 1st, 1864, 14,565 ounces; making a 

 total of 35,841 ounces, as the result of two years and three 

 quarters' mining. Estimating this at $19.00 per ounce (for the 

 greater portion is unsmelted gold), the value will be $680,979. 



Assuming the return for the month of September 1864 as a fair 

 exponent of the yields from the different districts, it will be found 

 that, if ranked according to the yield per ton, they will stand in the 

 following order : 



oz. dwts.grs. 



Montague 2 9 17 



Sherbrooke 1 8 10 



Tangier 1 5 13 



Renfrew 1 4 18 



Stormont (Isaac's Harbor) 1 2 12 



Wine Harbor 1 2 2 



Waverley 18 6 



Oldham 15 20 



If ranked according to the total yield of gold during the month, 

 they will stand thus : 



oz. dwts. grs. 



Waverley 855 3 3 



Sherbrooke ; 378 6 1 



Wine Harbor 220 10 15 



Oldham 176 2 1 



Montague 134 4 10 



Renfrew Ill 19 



Stormont (Isaac's Harbor) 99 17 6 



Tangier 88 5 1 



Other and unproclaimed Districts 10 4 3 



Although the mines are worked, and the yield is annually 

 increasing, still it may be doubted whether they are profitable 

 fields for the investment of capital. An individual fortunate in 



