33 



Low Steer. He steered his way tliroiigh this, and, of course, all hands had to 

 follow suit, whether it suited or not. The height of the Low Steer is something 

 under three feet, and the length of it about 200 yards. A lilliputian brigade of 

 the standard height of that mythical army could march through this place with 

 the greatest degree of comfort, bolt upright ; but if anyone whose proportions 

 had ventured to elongate themselves to something like six feet, were seduced to 

 pass through they would find that long before half the distance was covered the 

 spinal cord had tindergone an operation which was highly objectionable to the 

 proprietor. A welcome rest at the outer end enabled the party to assiime some- 

 thing like their original form, and a move was made towards the south side. It 

 was necessary to go by way of the pit bottom to get to the workings on the 

 other side, and here, as upon the north side, they are approached by a stone 

 drift some 300 yards in length, all arch bricked and being of the most costly and 

 substantial character. The seam here is the same as upon the north side, and 

 the few workings that were visited were almost immediately underneath Bransty 

 Hospital. Approaching the south workings there is a self-acting inclined plane, 

 which will save a good deal of labour. The return journey was then made, and 

 the party rode to bank in twos as they had gone down ; and if the Association 

 ever missed a treat it was in not being present to witness the members who had 

 ventured " down amongst the coals," as they reappeared in daylight, with their 

 begrimed hands and faces, their ludicrous apparel, and the absolute necessity 

 for at least a couple of shoe blacks each. A i^lentiful supply of hot and cold 

 water was, however, provided, with plenty of soap and clean towels ; and a large 

 staff of officials having for the occasion been converted into waiting-maids, a 

 respectable toilet was performed, and aU were soon again jiresentable to the 

 outer world. 



We may state that the six-quarter seam is about 6^ feet in thickness ; is 50 

 fathoms below the main band, which is being worked in William Pit ; and the 

 coal is of a sviperior quality, especially for coking purisoses. We are informed 

 that it is the intention of Mr. Martin to erect coal-washing machines for the 

 purpose of making the small coal usable for making coke ; and so convinced is 

 the manager of the Lonsdale Hematite Iron Company of the success which will 

 attend the experiment, that they intend to erect several coke ovens for the pur- 

 pose of manufacturing their own fuel, instead of having to bring it all the way 

 from the Darlington district, as they do at i^resent. The shaft itself is perhaps one 

 of the finest in the north of England. Its depth is 155 fathoms, and it is 12 feet 

 in diameter, and easel several bricks thick from top to bottom. It is now being 

 fitted up with iron slides for a now double-deck cage, capable of carrying four 

 tiibs at a time, and which wiLl shortly supersede the present ox'dinary cage. 



