36 MINES OF ASIA 



CHAP. II. 



That they were the work of a Nomadic people, 

 probably the Scythians, is conjectured from there 

 being no remains of buildings of masonry near 

 them. The extent of the works show 7 that the 

 workmen must have been numerous, whilst an 

 inspection of them proves that only the first rudi- 

 ments of the science of mining could have been 

 known to them. 



Besides some implements the use of which is 

 unknown, there were wedges and hammers, all 

 of copper 1 , that had been smelted, but without 

 any particles of gold in them. Instead of sledges, 

 they seem to have used large stones of a long 

 shape, on which are to be seen marks which 

 show that handles had been fastened to them 2 . 

 They seem to have scraped out the gold with 

 the fangs of the boars, and collected it in lea- 

 ther bags or pockets, some of which have been 

 found. With such imperfect implements, the 

 work of excavation must have required the 

 labour of a great number of hands for a long 

 time, and in some cases must have exhausted 

 their patience. 



In one instance, after having proceeded to 

 some depth, and reached a bed of hard stones, 

 the work, after penetrating a little way, had been 

 abandoned. Some of the pits are twenty fathoms 

 in depth, shaped like a well, and are about seven 



1 Pallas Reise, vol. 2. sect. 608, 



2 Lepechin, part 2. sect. 89. 



