288 A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 



the edges, and in general hung by ropes 

 over the precipices, are ftages with wind- 

 lafles or ivhimjies, as they here term them, 

 from which the men who work upon the 

 fides, are lowered by cords. Here, fuf- 

 pended in mid air, they pick a fmall place 

 for a footing, cut out the ore in vaft mafles, 

 and tumble it with a thundering cram to 

 the bottom. In thefe feemingly precarious 

 fituations, they make caverns in which 

 they work for a certain time, till the rope 

 is lowered to take them up again. Much 

 of the ore is blafted by gunpowder, eight 

 tons of which, Mr. Pennant fays, are an- 

 nually ufed for that purpofe. 



This procefs of blafting muft frequently 

 be attended with danger, as the men have 

 been known to be fo carelefs as not to be 

 fufficiently diftant when the explofion has 

 taken place. The manner in which it was 

 done was quite novel to me. They bore a 

 hole in that part of the rock they wiih to 



blaft, 



