cohx.— Precious Meftt).*, 



been abandoned since the Simian got firm hold of 

 that country. In Pabanjr, further flown the Peninsn- 

 la, there are about 600 Chines; who mine f >r gold, 

 which is said to be scmbifatt tnootoo, or of the 

 ninth touch, it is sold on the spot at about 24 drs. 

 the buucal. In favorable spots it is n Hedged that a 

 man can obtain a dollar's worth of gold here in oiii 4 

 day. There are 400 Chinese at the TVmganoo gold 

 mines where the gold is reported bftfee ?th touch, 

 and BOO in the petty state of Caleulan where the gold 

 is of equal oneness. There is also a gar,<\ mine near 

 Mount Ophir, east of Malucca, which is worked by 

 Chinese, and there is no doubt that gold exists in the. 

 mountain Gunon? Cherrie, which terminates our 

 landscape to the northward, with such a munificent 

 effect. In fact, it can scarcely lie doubted that this 

 metal is very largely and widely diffused over this 

 Peninsula and the Eastern Islands, It is also dissemi- 

 nated thro* the tin ore which pervades more or less the 

 whole primary formations of the same track. Even 

 w ith the Chinese, the following up of a vein isa thing 

 never perhaps attempted \ their operations depend 

 chiefly on muscular force, and shafts are abandoned 

 when their water-wheel ceases to dram ofl" the water. 

 Lateral shafts are hardly known. 



The Malays collect gold dust by washing the sand 

 of rivers. Thus, it would appear, that if the price of 

 gold was to he regulated by the labor or cost of min- 

 ing it, we should arrive at no satisfactory conclusion, 

 since the return which mi<rht encourage a Malay, 

 would discourage a Chinese, and as the Chinese by 

 greater skill and industry con afford to keep up the 

 price while tht Malay w ill be glad of a smaller profit. 



Besides, die cost of gold as a mere article of com- 

 merce, — which it is in the Straits, w here there is no 

 gold currency, — would uot, under any circumstances 



