AND HOW IT IS WORKED. 21 



bengkal of gold, about one and three quarters of an 

 ounce, from each bushel of earth ; from six to ten or 

 twelve bushels being found in each cave, according to 

 its size. It was accordingly a very gainful speculation, 

 and the working it was carried on by all the idle and 

 poorer classes of the community of Sarawak ; so much 

 so, that it was difficult to hire men for ordinary work. 



Gamblers repaired to this employment, and a few 

 weeks' exertion soon repaired their ruined fortunes; so 

 that, by supplying them with funds to encourage them 

 in this vice, it is, perhaps, no advantage to the settle- 

 ment. The Chinese, who were not permitted by the 

 Malays to work in the rock, were quietly trenching 

 the earth at the foot of the hill, which they had long 

 worked for the same purpose, and with more certainty 

 of profit, as it is not always that the caves, after the 

 labour expended in getting into them, are found to 

 produce the coveted metal. 



How the gold should be discovered in these fissures 

 at all is very remarkable, and perhaps may afford a 

 curious fact for the study of geologists and mineralo- 

 gists : it cannot have descended from any place 

 higher, as the caves are found on the highest as well 

 as on the lowest parts of the surface of the flat- 

 topped hill ; nor, after repeated examinations of 

 the limestone, is the slightest trace of the metal 

 discoverable in it : the surface of the rock is but 

 scantily furnished with earth, and that is of a vegetable 

 nature. It is true that the whole of the soil of the 

 surrounding district is alluvial, and strongly impreg- 

 nated with gold, but not to nearly so great an extent 



