32 BOOK II. 



be made serviceable for many things ; for water will never be wanting and 

 can be carried through wooden pipes to baths in dwelling-houses ; it maj^ 

 be carried to the works, where the metals are smelted ; and finally, if the 

 conditions of the place will allow it, the water can be diverted into the 

 tunnels, so that it maj^ turn the underground machinery. Yet on the other 

 hand, to convey a constant supply of water by artificial means to mines 

 where Nature has denied it access, or to convey the ore to the stream, 

 increases the expense greatly, in proportion to the distance the mines are 

 away from the river. 



The miner also shoxild consider whether the roads from the neighbouring 

 regions to the mines are good or bad, short or long. For since a region 

 which is abundant in mining products very often yields no agricultural 

 produce, and the necessaries of life for the workmen and others must all be 

 imported, a bad and long road occasions much loss and trouble with 

 porters and carriers, and this increases the cost of goods brought in, which, 

 therefore, must be sold at high prices. This injures not so much the work- 

 men as the masters ; since on account of the high price of goods, the work- 

 men are not content with the wages customary for their labour, nor can 

 they be, and they ask higher pay from the owners. And if the owners 

 refuse, the men wiU not work any longer in the mines but will go elsewhere. 

 Although districts which yield metals and other mineral products are 

 generally healthy, because, being often situated on high and lofty ground, 

 they are fanned by every wind, yet sometimes they are unhealthy, as has 

 been related in my other book, which is called " De NaUira Eorum Quae 

 Effluunt ex Terra." Therefore, a wise miner does not mine in such places, 

 even if they are very productive, when he perceives unmistakable signs 

 of pestilence. For if a man mines in an unhealthy region he may be alive 

 one hour and dead the next. 



Then, the miner should make careful and thorough investigation con- 

 cerning the lord of the locality, whether he be a just and good man or a 

 tyrant, for the latter oppresses men by force of his authority, and seizes 

 their possessions for himself ; but the former governs justly and lawfully 

 and serves the common good. The miner should not start mining opera- 

 tions in a district which is oppressed by a tyrant, but should carefully 

 consider if in the vicinity there is any other locality suitable for mining and 

 make up his mind if the overlord there be friendly or inimical. If he be 

 inimical the mine will be rendered unsafe through hostile attacks, in one of 

 which aU of the gold or silver, or other mineral products, laboriously col- 

 lected with much cost, will be taken away from the owner and his workmen 

 will be stnick with terror ; overcome by fear, they will hastily fly, to free 

 themselves from the danger to which they are exposed. In this case, not 

 only are the fortunes of the miner in the greatest peril but his very life is 

 in jeopardy, for which reason he should not mine in such places. 



Since several miners usually come to mine the veins in one locality, a 

 settlement generally springs up, for the miner who began first cannot keep 

 it exclusively for himself. The Bergmeister gives permits to some to mine 



