1838.] Report on the Copper mines o/Kumaon. 939 



with the stream, they scoop out the refuse with their hands, and then 

 proceed with another charge. In Cornwall, one woman provided with a 

 wheel-barrow and shovel for the conveying and washing of the ores, 

 and a boy with a sieve for dressing them, as formerly mentioned, would 

 accomplish an equal task to that of ten women on the system described. 



5. " The drainage of the mine.- — In the first place, this is managed 

 in a proper manner by an adit. But whenever any attempt is made to 

 go below it, as is the case in most, if not all the mines, the water is then 

 raised in wooden buckets handed from one man to another, until they 

 reach the adit into which they are emptied. In this manner six, 

 ten or even more men may be employed, whilst only an inferior num- 

 ber can be spared for excavating the ores. At the Sheer a mine, for 

 instance, six men are constantly engaged in lifting up the water, and 

 there are only two at the ores : the water raised by these six men, could 

 be effected with a hand-pump by one man : but, in order to keep the 

 pump constantly going, two men might be required, and the remaining 

 four added to the number of those who are excavating. 



Lastly. — " To obtain sawn wood for rendering the passages perma- 

 nent and secure, the art of sawing, which is entirely unknown to the 

 people here, ought to be introduced." — 



The foregoing remarks having reference simply to the rude and 

 inefficient mode of work now actually in practice in this province, the 

 rectifying of them will form the first stage of improvement. No 

 allusion has hitherto been made, to the vast results from machinery, 

 which in England may be witnessed in almost every mine ; nor have 

 the important processes of reducing the ore to the metallic state, been 

 yet adverted to, though these are on a parallel with what has been 

 said on the subject of extraction*. However, from the statements 

 which have been made, it may be seen, that notwithstanding the 

 mountaineer receives but a very slight remuneration for his labor, 

 yet considering the extravagant manner in which that labor is ex- 

 pended, an exorbitant rate is paid for the really serviceable work 

 performed. Thus it is not so much the grinding avarice of the 

 teekadar, that oppresses the miner, as the system upon which he 

 works, that cannot admit of his being much better paid. To relieve 

 this class of people, therefore, and raise their condition, it is much to be 

 desired, that a new management should be adopted ; while, on the other 

 hand, were the mines equal to the very best in Cornwall, no great pro- 

 fit could ever accrue from them, worked as they are at present. 



* The charcoal smelting furnaces of Sweden appear to me to be the best 

 suited for these mountains. 



