1833.] and the Summit of Mount Ophir. 499 
earth, is of opinion that the latter is the debris of the granite forming 
the summit; the white masses appearing to be felspar in a decompos- 
ed state: the crystals are quartz, and the small grains in the earth also 
quartz. The gold found in it he supposes to be washed down from 
the mountain as the rock became disintegrated. 
The Chinese showed me a specimen of a stratum of clay of a green- 
ish grey colour, beneath which gold is never found; this is the case 
with the present mine, which they intend quitting to open another a 
few paces distant. 
The Chinese affirm that one mine does not produce monthly more 
than one ¢ael of gold. This is probably designedly underrated. A 
tribute is exacted from each individual of one dollar monthly for the 
privilege of mining here, by the petty Malay chiefs, Incuzs Auap and 
MauMED, 
They levy it in person every two months. These two chiefs are 
nominally under the Tamangong of Muar, (whose maternal uncles they 
are,) but in reality are little better than banditti. 
I give the following on the authority of the head Chinese miner at 
Moung, as the names of the places around Mount Ophir (for the 
gold is always procured at the foot), where mines have been es- 
tablished :— 
Battang Moung, Kedanon, Rejang, Kaddam, Tanong, Paeedalum, 
Berinjin, Terring, Kayo Arro, Kamoyan, Jongi, Deddam, Poggi Baru, 
Ohindagon, Ayer Kuning, and Ayer Chamhi. 
He also informed me that, formerly, nearly 1000 Chinese worked 
in these mines ; but that of late, owing to the unsettled state of the 
country, they had nearly been deserted. The Chinese, who still work 
at the mines in spite of the oppression they suffer, depend on Malacca 
for their supplies, for which they occasionally dispatch two or three of 
their number, who take down with them the small portion of gold 
dust they have been able to scrape together. The wild and deserted 
state of the country, and the extent of forest to be traversed between 
the foot of the mountain and Malacca, afford opportunities, not unfree 
quently taken advantage of, by the marauders that infest the frontier, 
for the sake of the pittance of rice and salt fish, and a few grains of 
gold dust. Murder is almost invariably added to robbery. Shortly 
after my visit, two of these Chinese going up to the mines were found 
murdered, in the heart of the Rkeim forest on the road; one with his 
head nearly severed from the body ; the corpse of the other lay about 
300 paces from that of his comrade ; he appears to have sought safety 
2s2 
