of course at the different points of the mine, and in order therefore to do every- 

 body justice the pairs of workmen are constantly changed from one pitch to 

 another. The manager of the mine has mostly only a very limited authority 

 over the middlemen, who arrange among themselves about the shifts of work- 

 men and the choice of pitches. This baneful system results of necessity in an 

 ugly robbing, as it is in the interest of the contractors to extract only the best 

 and richest ores, and to leave the poorer and harder ones behind. The pay- 

 ment for the ores includes usually the haulage underground, and often also 

 the transportation to the reduction works and the dressing. Nay sometimes, — 

 and especially is this the case with silver and gold-ores — it is only the metal pro- 

 duced that is paid for, and the winning and reduction of the ores are conse- 

 quently left entirely in the hands of the contractors. The low payment for the 

 metal produced often indirectly compels the contractors to work only the richer 

 ores. 



The keeping the mine in condition, the drainage, the dead work are to the 

 charge of the administration of the mine, and generally contracted for by the 

 day. The rate of daily wages varies between 8 and 25 sen a day (100 sen = 1 rio 

 = 1 yen = about 4 shillings). 



TIMBERING. 



Timbering in the levels is, on account of the small dimensions of the latter, 

 mostly unnessary ; where requisite, sets are used, consisting of a cap, supported 

 by two vertical legs, which are channelled on top. The legs are kept asunder 

 by a stay, placed close to the top, and where the rock is soft, rest on a cross-sill. 

 The lowness of the galleries does not admit of a walking plank above the 

 water-ditch. The timbering in the slopes is the same as in the levels. There 

 are no ladders, steps cut into the rock or indented trunks of trees serve as sub- 

 stitutes. Ceder, pine and fir are used, or, where these are not to be had, leaf- 

 trees. 



MasDnry is scarcely used at all. 



HAULAGE. 



The haulage is done by children with the aid of baskets or bags slung on 

 their back ; it is seldom done by men or women. In this way all the ores are 

 carried from the pitch to the surface, without relays, up aud down steps, on 

 underground roads, ofteu a mile and more in length. The narrow passages, 

 which would not allow a full-grown man to pass with a load equal to his 



