64 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XY 



hpitiya. 



Migahamulabena-patala ... N. D. P. Silva 



Ratagorokgaha -patala ... Do. 



Miniran-patala ... Attygalle Muhandiram 



Miniran-kanda-patala ... The Crown 



Midella-hena ... ... Jacob de Mel 



Udahendawela. 

 Hurigolla-hena-patala ... L. Mendis and others 



Dambagolla-patala ... Jacob de Mel 



Dambagolla- patala ... L. Mendis and others 



Dematagolla-patala ... Jobsz and others 



Dematagolla- patala ... Jacob de Mel 



Seekers after plumbago are guided by no better indication 

 than the surface soil or pieces of the mineral cropping up 

 through the fissures of the rock. Here is just the case where 

 a Government geologist might afford valuable aid in develop- 

 ing a most important industry, and be able to point out with 

 much confidence to undeveloped Crown lands likely to 

 prove of great value for their beds of plumbago, while his 

 advice to private proprietors might save much time and 

 money in trial pits, surface diggings, and generally useless 

 and vain exploration. 



The usual mode of setting to work when there are signs, 

 which to the knowing ones prognosticate a find of plumbago 

 sooner or later, is to drive a shaft (miniran patala), say 

 12 ft. by 6 ft., until the mineral is reached, failing which 

 galleries are run (dona kepima) till a vein is found, and the 

 vein is followed downwards and horizontally so long as it 

 is possible to contend with the flow of water in the mine. 

 Operations are then stopped and galleries driven, and this 

 goes on while the lamps burn ; but the moment the lamps are 

 extinguished by the gases collected in the galleries, working 

 in that part is suspended and resumed upwards, the aban- 

 doned portions being re-filled with the debris from the mine. 

 In other cases, instead of sinking a shaft a large open cutting 

 is made, in which the vein is followed and galleries run as 

 occasion may require. Slightly improved methods have 

 from time to time been employed, but the old order of things 



