1843.] in Kumaon and Gkurwal. 465 



inches in the rock, and the passages are consequently small, except 

 when two or more veins meet. The veins are so numerous, that the 

 rocks between them are seldom more than 3 or 4 feet thick, so that 

 it would certainly be better to have a large working, which would 

 include a number of veins, than to work on the present diminutive 

 scale. The mine is so full of rubbish, that it is difficult to get through 

 the passages, for nothing is brought out of the mine but the ores, 

 and the rubbish being left within, fills up the mine and impedes its 

 future working. At the present lowest working of the mine, there is 

 a commodious passage on the claystone lode, 60 fathoms in length ; 

 but the outer 20 fathoms has crushed together ; below the inner end 

 of this passage, there is an extensive old working, which is said to be 

 rich, but the present generation of miners have never been able to 

 get the water out of it ; beyond this, the mine has been worked to a 

 considerable extent, but the passages were so full of rubbish, that I 

 could not go into them. An attempt was made to bring in a new 

 adit to drain the mine to a deeper level than at present, previous to 

 the Ghoorkha rule ; but after being driven 15 fathoms, it was aban- 

 doned owing to the ores in the mine failing, and the laborers being sent 

 to the Nagpoor {i. e. Pokree) mines, which were then rich. No attempt 

 has been made since then to drain the mine below the level here 

 spoken of. The lessee informed me, that he formerly realized from 

 three to four thousand Rupees per annum from this mine, but that 

 lately, the profits have been very small. I am unable to give a correct 

 section of this mine, but the following will convey a tolerable idea of its 

 leading passages, and the rest may be considered a perfect honeycomb 

 from entrance to end.* 



" There is water for machinery in the ravine below the mine. 

 Wood for all purposes is rather distant, but owing to the supply of 

 labour, charcoal is cheaper here than at Pokree, where the wood is 

 nearer. The smelters at this mine are very industrious and expert 

 at their work, and their mode of smelting is superior to any other 

 in the province, excepting the Dhobree people, who work on the 

 same principles, using abundance of decomposed felspar and limestone 

 flux. 



* As there is nothing of interest in this sketch we have omitted to copy it.— Eds. 



