8 HAYDEN AND HATCH: GOLD-FIELDS OF WA1NAD. 



at the time of his visit, none of the reefs had been exploited suffi* 

 ciently to allow of extensive sampling, and he was consequently 

 compelled to take samples for assay from isolated exposures of reef, 

 often too from points which had been proved to be exceptionally rich 

 in gold, and his estimate of the value of the reefs was, therefore, 

 probably higher than it would have been had he been able to obtain a 

 more extensive series of samples. In a subsequent and fuller report 

 published in 1878, 1 this fact was recognised by Dr. King, and the 

 results of more extensive crushing made by some of the companies 

 then at work were given, the average yield of nearly 1,200 tons of 

 ore being at the rate of a little over 4! dwts, per ton, over half of this 

 quantity having yielded less than 2\ dwts. per ton. 



In the following year, Mr. Brough Smyth was employed by the Gov- 

 ernment of India to examine the reefs of Wain3d 

 Brough Smyth. 



and his report was published in 1880. 2 He ap- 

 pears to have examined all the localities in which gold was known to 

 occur and his conclusions were on the whole favourable. Basing his 

 calculations on the results obtained in Victoria, he estimated that 

 low grade ores, running even as low as 3 dwts. to the ton, could be 

 worked at a profit. At the end of his report will be found a table of 

 assays made by himself and others : the results obtained range from 

 nil to 204 oz. of gold per ton of ore ; but in very few cases is it 

 stated how or from what parts of the reefs the samples were taken, 

 and it is consequently impossible to base any estimate of the true 

 value of the reefs on the above results. 



In the year 1883, the services of Mr. John Darlington were ob- 

 tained by the Indian Consolidated Gold Com- 



Darlington. 



pany to report on six properties, covering a 

 large area in south-east Waindd. The general conclusions at which 

 he arrived were that the reefs were not sufficiently thick and con- 

 tinuous to afford even a moderate amount of ore, and that the ore was 



1 Rec. Geol. Surv. Ind., Vol. XI, p. 235. 



s " The Gold-mines of the south-east Wynaad and Carcoor Ghat." 

 ( 6 ) 



