Mr. William Phillips on the Veins of Cornwall. 14Y 



The general direction of the metalliferous veins is a little from 

 the north of the east to the south of the west, and of the north, 

 and south veins or Cross Courses, a little from the west of the 

 north to the east of the south. 



Herland and Drannack and Prince George mines, and that called 

 Huel Alfred, a description of some peculiarities in which is annexed, 

 claim peculiar attention, as well on account of their being in im- 

 mediate contact with each other, as because their situation in a 

 schistose country, seems almost the only circumstance decidedly 

 common to both. In almost every thing that respects their veins, 

 it would perhaps be difhcult to point out two mines more com- 

 pletely at variance, except that in each there occurs one of that 

 denomination which is termed a contre. 



Most of the east and west or metalliferous veins of Herland and 

 Drannack mines varied from 2 to 6 inches in width, and whenever 

 found to exceed the latter size, it proved an indication that they 

 were about to diminish, and in the language of the miner, to pass 

 away in the run of some fathoms in mere strings — a circumstance 

 of extremely rare occurrence in the veins of Cornwall : they were 

 consequently abandoned, because they no longer paid the expense 

 of pursuing them east or west. It may well be supposed that con- 

 sidering the narrowness of these veins they were extremely rich ; 

 in fact they were so rich that it was frequently the practice of the 

 miner, after taking away one side of the vein, to spread canvas to 

 receive the load. That vein called the Manor Old Load exceeded 

 the rest in width, being in the largest parts from one foot to one foot 

 and a half in width, and the ore was occasionally found in floors of 

 two or three feet wide, a circumstance more common in tin loads 

 than in those of copper. 



The direction of the contre is somewhat to the north of the west 



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