1840.] Boring Operations in Fort William. 681 



up, the tool remained below. A new operation therefore became 

 necessary for extracting the shell, and first the upper portion of it was 

 considerably widened by the use of a jumper. A drill was then 

 introduced, and after several day's labour a hole, sufficiently large to 

 admit of the conical worm auger being screwed into the shell, was 

 drilled. The entire shell was immediately brought up, bearing ample 

 indications of having been in^contact with the plummet, but leaving 

 it still at the bottom of the bore. 



On the first of October, 1837, the depth attained by the tubing 

 was 431 feet, while the depth of the bore varied from 418 to 426 

 feet, according to the height of the sand. The water stood from ten to 

 twelve feet from the surface, according to the seasons. By the 30th 

 of April, 1838, the bore was 460 feet deep, and by the 18th Septem- 

 ber following, a total depth of 481 feet was reached. Just prior how- 

 ever to that depth being attained, the progress of the tubing was 

 arrested by large stones requiring the use of the jumper. By its aid 

 the tubing was again set free, but at 481 feet again arrested, and a 

 repetition of the employment of the jumper became necessary. As 

 the tool originally employed proved insufficient to fracture the stones 

 then met with, a larger and heavier one was attached to the rods, 

 and after a few blows, seemed to have effected its purpose ; but on 

 attempting to raise it again it was found to be so firmly jammed 

 that every attempt at dislodging it proved fruitless. A great power 

 was simultaneously applied to raising the rods, and forcing down the 

 tubes, but with no other effect than the perceptible elongation of 

 the former. About 150 blows of a ram, weighing 2| cwt., with a 

 fall of fifteen feet, were then given to the head of the rods, in the 

 hope that the vibration thus communicated to them would tend to 

 loosen the jumper from its hold. The large accumulation of sand 

 over the tool and round the rods rendered it however problematical 

 if the vibrations ever reached the jumper; and if they did, there can 

 be little doubt that the above cause tended most materially to dimi- 

 nish their intensity, as no useful result followed the trial of this expe- 

 riment. Again, and as a final effort, the tubing was securely held 

 down, and four powerful jack-screws were applied to raise the rods, 

 which after stretching two feet six inches, and thereby affording a gleam 

 of hope that^the difficulty was vanquished, unfortunately broke off at 



