iviih an Account of its Guld Mines. 299 



of cold equal in weight to two or three rials. In other re- 

 fpeds, the art of digging for gold is the fame in all the mines 

 and among all the people on this coalL The only ditference 

 is in regard to the depth of the pits. la many places it is 

 fcarcelv neceflary to go deeper than ten or twelve feet; but 

 in others the pits mull be carried to the depth of feveral fa- 

 thoms, and the fides muft be fupported by means of boards 

 and beams. The inftruments ufed in thefe mines confift only 

 of a piece of iron about a foot and a half long and two inches 

 in thickncfs : it is pointed and fliarp at the one extremity, 

 and at the other is furniflied with a focket, into which is 

 luick a wooden pole about fix feet in length. Thofe who 

 are able to procure it have alfo an iron hook, with a (liort 

 wooden handle, which they employ for loofening and turn- 

 ing up the earth around ftones. A mattock, with the above- 

 mentioned duhmgs, which each miner makes for himlelf, 

 and a pair of gold fcales, form all the reft of their apparatus. 



When a gold mine is difcovered, the workmen do not im- 

 mcdiatelv bcoin to die; it, but firft fearch the neareft river, in 

 which they turn up the ftones and drain off a part of the 

 water. After they have turned up the fand to about the 

 dcjjth of a foot, they fometimes find large pieces of gold, 

 which in all probability have been walhed dov/n by the 

 ftreams from the mountains. It has been remarked that the 

 rocks on the borders of rl\ers, and even the greater part of 

 the ftones which are taken up from pits where the ore is 

 rich, have a blue, and fometimes yellow, colour, and are fo 

 foft that they may be ufed as paint. Where the gold is lefs 

 rich, the ftones are gray or white, and cither of a hard tex- 

 ture, or foft like limeftone. By thefe figns the produce in 

 gold of any mine may be eafily afcertaincd. 



In all the gold mines, but particularly thofc which lie at 

 a diftance from the fliore, it is exceedingly cold before fun- 

 rife and after fun-fet. On this account the poor miners 

 fuffer a great deal. As they are obliged to fit in the water 

 from morning till night, their bodies, when they ceafe from 

 Hicir labour, arc almoft rendered quite white by the faltpetre. 

 When the mines ai'e worked, the water of the river near 

 ^'.hich tlipy are fitualed is muddy, and of a rcddilh-yellow 

 Q. (\ % colour 



