No. 31.-1885.] 



PLUMBAGO. 



251 



Appendix No. B. 



Description of a Plumbago Mine, and the System of Excavation 



pursued in the Southern Province, 

 [Translation from the Sinhalese, supplied by W. E. T. Sharpe, Esq., Govt, Agent,] 



Plumbago is excavated in two ways : — 



(i) — Sinking large pits \jniniran, patala kepima]; and 



(ii) — Cutting underground \dond kepvma"]. 



From large pits the ore is taken without much difficulty. 

 An underground cutting is shown in the accompanying plan. The 

 pit between the two straight lines shown by the figure marked is 

 first dug. The breadth of it is from 4 to 8 cubits. The pits are 

 not square, but oblong. If the underground cutting is to be dug 

 straight, it cannot be dug deeper than 70 or 80 yards [210 

 to 240 feet, but Mr. Jacob De Mel's is 450 feet] owing to 

 the difficulty of breathing for want of sufficient air deeper on. 

 A lamp is kept in it. 



Figure 2 shows the extension of an underground cutting ; this 

 is generally 2§ by 5 cubits. In some places they are large 

 enough to allow a miner to walk erect, and they are generally 

 16 yards underground, and are cut to a length of 24 yards; at a 

 depth of 60 yards, they are cut to a length of 8 yards. No. 4 is 

 a deeper cutting, but as it cannot be extended at such a depth, 

 a new shaft (No. 5) has to be sunk, and access to it availed of by 

 No. 6. This pit is called the air pit, because it is purposely opened 

 to admit of air. If any more diggings towards other directions 

 in the pits marked 1 and 5 are required, it can be done in the same 

 manner. The water, earth, and plumbago in these pits \_d6nd"\ 

 are taken up through the first opened pit. If necessary, they could 

 be taken on land [to the surface] from the air pit also. For the 

 purpose of taking out earth, &c, there is a winch fastened on the 

 surface. By tying a rope to the body of the winch, by hanging- 

 one or two tubs to the rope, and by winding the winch, the water, 

 earth, and plumbago in the pit are taken out. A shed is put cover- 

 ing the pit for protection against sun and rain. After lining the 

 inside with planks on the underground cutting to prevent land 

 slips, very strong beams are fastened close to each other. As the 

 digging progresses the planks are placed and beams fastened. 

 Three or four workmen are necessary to descend to these under- 

 ground cuttings. It is with small crowbars that the pits are 

 dug. In the course of the digging, if rocks are found, they are 

 blasted. The miners descend at 6 o'clock in the morning and 



H 



