1834.] in the Eastern Districts of Mysore. 465 



heres to it ; a method which from the superior specific gravity of the 

 gold drives the iron particles before it, and leaves the heavier metal 

 behind just at the edge, where from the contrast with the dull color of 

 the iron, the golden ore appears perfectly distinct, however small the 

 quantity. 



I also caused the women to take up some of the earth at the higher 

 places, and having seen it washed as before, a nearly equal quantity 

 of gold was obtained, which evidently shows that the ore is homoge- 

 neous to that soil, and not fortuitously driven into the rutts from any 

 distant place by a casual fall of rain. 



Soon after, I heard that considerable quantities of that metal were 

 formerly extracted from mines near Marcupam (a village about three 

 miles south of Wurigam) : I accordingly moved on the same evening to 

 that place. 



On the next day (18th), having collected a sufficient number of the 

 men* who gain their livelihood by this apparently unprofitable trade, 

 I went to these mines, which lie about one mile west of Marcupam, 

 in a thin jungle connected with that near Wurigam, and situated alike 

 with respect to the range of small hills above described. 



I descended into the first mine, which was shewn me, preceded by 

 two of the miners with lighted lamps, by means of small holes made 

 in the sides of it for that purpose. I shall not enter at this place into 

 any circumstantial detail of it, having subsequently had an opportunity 

 of examining these mines with more attention than I did at this peri- 

 od ; and consequently shall refer the reader to the separate account 

 given of them at the end of this paper ; I remained long enough in 

 the present one, to see some of the stones extracted, and passed from 

 hand to hand in baskets by the miners who were stationed at different 

 stages of the mine, for the purpose of conveying them above ground. 



Having procured about four cooley load of stones, I removed to a 

 second mine, which proved to be about ten feet deeper than the for- 

 mer, and having caused the people to extract a sufficient quantity of 

 stones from the second pit, I then returned to Marcupam, in order to 

 try the materials I had just collected. 



Here the women resumed their part, and having taken charge of the 

 stones, they took them to a large rock, where they pounded them into 

 perfect dust, which being placed in the hollow board above mentioned, 



* The extracting of the ore from the bowels of the earth being attended with 

 considerable danger, owing to occasional falls of the earth, which they have neither 

 the means or the skill to support, as is usual in mines ; also the bodily strength 

 which the breaking of the stones requires, makes it that men alone attend to this 

 part of the business. 

 2o 



