CORNUBIANA. 79 



of mining, and increased his income. With regard to the 

 three hundred men employed in Tonkin's time, they have now 

 dwindled down to GO, and the overplus no longer exists, for the 

 mine, it is sad to say, hardly pays its way. Like other Cornish 

 mines, it has had a very chequered history, and has had periods 

 of enforced idleness, though at the present time its tin is always 

 largely sought for, and obtains a higher price than that given 

 for tin from any other Cornish mine. It is said to have brought 

 as much as £101 a ton for black tin, in June, 1872, which is said 

 to have beaten the record for Cornish tin. "The barren mountain 

 of pretty large extent " is a hill 536 feet high, and covers about 

 200 acres. In the mine itself there are indications of very 

 ancient workings, — the principal of which is a level, rejoicing in 

 the elegant name of " Bug's " level. Its entrance is 3-ft. 6-in., 

 and it must have been driven by miners either lying fiat on their 

 backs, or else in a crouching posture. It must have been 

 excavated by chisel and hammer, and probably the explosive 

 material used was that of lime quenched with water, and then 

 plugged tightly so that probably an explosion would occur during 

 the night. Mr. Stewart, who examined this portion of the 

 mine, says " These levels seem to be cross-cuts rather than 

 levels, as they do not follow the strike of the lodes. One of 

 these goes from the Blue Dipper lode on its foot wall (S. side) 

 and passes in a crooked line in south and south-westerly direction 

 to the Blue Dipper shaft, a distance of 27 fathoms. Size of 

 level, 3 feet 6 inches by 2 feet 6 inches. N.B. — All magnetic 

 bearings. There are no shot marks in the whole of this level, 

 but probably those of a moyle (the mining term for a chisel). 

 The tradition runs that this level was driven by "transports" 

 when St. Germoe church tower was being built, and, in that 

 case, the date would be about 1450 — 1475, as the tower is of the 

 Perpendicular style. The only inscription in the mine is on the 

 northern wall of a winze, about ten fathoms above the adit. 

 The letters on the top line are about 6 inches high, those in the 

 lower are about 5 inches with a 2-inch margin of flattened stone 

 round the inscription, which measures 1 4 inches in length. The 

 letters in the top line are deeper cut than in the lower. The 

 inscription is as follows : 



EI. 1132. 



TS "I 



