On the Occurrence and Winning of Gold in h eland. 273 



spherical balls are found ; they are evidently altered grains of 

 shot, probably occurring as carbonate of lead. 



In September, 1800, when the times became a little settled 

 mining operations were resumed, and in addition to the stream- 

 ings extensive exploration works were undertaken inl802. Alevel 

 (to prove the quartz veins in depth) was driven 178 fathoms into 

 the mountain, from above that place, on the Ballinvally stream, 

 where the highest particles of gold were obtained (although unac- 

 companied here by the usually associated minerals), and where the 

 quartz veins appeared most numerous, but although fifty or sixty 

 quartz veins were crossed not a particle of gold was obtained. Fur- 

 thermore, thousands of fathoms of open casts were cut along the 

 slopes of the mountain, and "the mineral substances were subjected 

 to the operations both of fire and of amalgamation, but in no in- 

 stance was a particle of gold elicited from them, either by the one or 

 the other process. So unsatisfactory a result led to the persuasion 

 that the gold formed no part of the veins which appear in the moun- 

 tain. The same conclusion seems to apply to the tinstone, wolfram, 

 and manganese, in discovering which the mining operations equally 

 failed." 



In 1803, after the directors' unfavourable report. Government 

 abandoned the enterprise ; for although streaming works had 

 proved profitable, the explorations had entailed a heavy loss. The 

 total quantity of gold obtained by the Government amounted to 

 944 oz., 4 dwt. 15 grains, which produced £3,675 7s. ll|(i.* 



Since 1803 this and several of the neighbouring streams have 

 been worked systematically at intervals with varying success, but 

 on the whole unprofitably. The peasants, between times, work- 

 ing the streams apparently with more satisfactory results. The 

 records of all these workings are, however, scattered and scanty. 



When Government abandoned their active mining ojDerations, 

 they left for a time a company of infantry to guard the place ; 

 but after these were removed the people resumed their search 

 after the precious metal ; and it has been estimated that about 

 £2,000 worth of gold was sold annually by them in Dublin; others 

 have estimated the whole produce as worth £20,000 during the 

 time they continued working. 



About the year 1839 or 1840 Government granted a lease for 



* The total expenditure is stated to have been £6,907 Ms. 2ld, 



