[ 154 I 



31 ft, A SHAFT, called painters fhaft, was funk on this load, 

 about four or five fathoms in depth, which produced fome ore ; 

 but as the ore was mifled, it was thought the vein, was loft, and 

 in hopes to find it again, they went off" on the flide bottom of 

 the fhaft in the diredlion of the mountain. This projed, after it 

 was profecuted for a fathom or two, was abandoned, for the 

 rock they met was found abfolutely of the fame nature with 

 the rock at the furface of the mountain in the broil of the 

 load. 



32d. After this foolifli trial, they again attacked the furface 

 ef the mountain, and at the diftance of twelve fleps from this 

 fhaft they opened another fliaft on the broil of the load, which 

 was dropped, after profecuting it four and a half fathoms in depth, 

 on account of the water which flowed in abundantly ; and to 

 eafe this water, a little draining level was opened in the fide 

 of the mountain, which joined the fhaft at the bottom, where 

 they both reached the quartz. It was intended to profecute 

 this fhaft to a greater depth, and it was hoped the water would 

 no longer obftrudt the work, for it was imagined to have been 

 all top water. ^ 



33d. It is eafy to fee the error fallen into in the condudl of 

 painter's fhaft. To find any ore, the miners concerned in this 

 work might well have judged that they had loft the load, and 



then 



