474 On the Experimental Copper Mine in Kumaon. [June, 



care, and where firmly bedded in the mud is perfectly sound, but where 

 at all exposed it is much decayed. 



The natives of the place are well satisfied with the experiment as far 

 as it has gone, and the applications for employment are more than re- 

 quired ; they are also very willing to adopt any improvement on their 

 own rude system, and readily falling into and becoming expert in 

 the use of the tools, &c. The work in the galleries has been perform- 

 ed partly by contract and partly by hired labour ; in the former mode 

 the rate paid is about one rupee per foot with half the ores found, and 

 in the latter two annas per day. In the Chumittee gallery the people 

 prefer contracting, in the hope of obtaining profit from the ores found ; 

 whereas in the Rajah Kan gallery, as no copper can be expected while 

 passing through the alluvial deposit, they are not at present willing to 

 contract. 



The result of the experiment so far may be considered satisfactory, 

 and it is quite certain that copper in considerable abundance has exist- 

 ed in the ground through which we are now passing in the Chumittee 

 ravine, assuming that this ground has been more or less disturbed to a 

 depth of 120 feet — the greatest the native miners say has ever been at- 

 tained by them, although I question if ever they got so far. We may rea- 

 sonably hope that by the time the gallery has reached to a distance of 

 about 280 feet we will enter upon ground hitherto untouched, and until 

 this is reached no fair criterion of its capabilities can be formed. I do 

 not expect to make much progress during the rains, owing to the very 

 loose nature of the soil ; wherever we have passed through old workings 

 considerable delay has been experienced from the constant falling in of 

 the soil. 



(True Copy,) H. T. PRINSEP, 



4th July, 1839. Secy, to the Govt, of India. 



Art. III. — Account of a Journey from Sumbulpur to Mednipur, 

 through the Forests of Orissa. By Lieut. M. Kittoe. 

 (Continued from page 383.^ 

 I resumed my march towards Mednipur at 3 a. m. the following day, 

 and reached Deogurh, the capital of the Baumurra district, at 8 o'clock ; 

 on leaving, it was too dark to see any distance, this was of no conse- 

 quence, as there were high hills close on either side. I had to descend 

 a slight ghat, at the foot of which I crossed the Burghat torrent; were 

 the dawk road to pass this way it would be necessary to have a suspen- 

 sion bridge over it, likewise on most of these hill torrents. For the first 





