HAYDEN AND HATCH : GOLD-FIELDS OF WAINAd, 



Part I.— H. H. HAYDEN : Historical, geological and economic 



aspects. 



A.-INTRODUCTION, 



The early history of the gold mining industry in Waindd taluk is 

 largely conjectural, but it would seem probable 



Early history. 



from the local traditions that the auriferous 

 reefs were known to, and worked by, the natives at least two cen- 

 turies ago : claims of a far greater antiquity for the industry have 

 been made by numerous writers, who would identify Waina"d with 

 the Ophir of II Chron. viii. 18 and ix. 10; but the evidence in 

 favour of this identification is far from convincing. 



The official history of Waindd as a gold-producing area appears 



to begin at the end of the century before last, 



First official recognition. . _ 



when in 1798, the Governor of Bombay 1 applied 

 to the local officials for information on the subject of gold washing 

 and mining. The matter was again taken up in 1828, since when 

 it has never wholly been allowed to drop, many attempts having 

 been made, with but indifferent success, to establish the industry 

 on a remunerative basis. 



Of these attempts, the most important was that which began 

 some twenty-five years ago, and resulted in the 



"Boom "of 1SS0. 



great " boom " of 1880, when numerous com- 

 panies, 2 having an aggregate capital of over four millions, were 

 floated on the London market. A reference to the u Mining Journal" 

 and similar papers 3 of the years 1880 and 1881 will show how 



1 "Correspondence regarding Gold Mines in Wynaad, Malabar District." 

 Madras, 1874. 



2 See Handbook of the Indian Gold-mining Companies, 1881. 



3 See also "The Indian Gold-mining Industry," by D. E. W. Leighton. 

 Madras, 1S83. 



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