164 



Accou7it of the Gold Mines 



[No. 



Value according to 

 the Mint Master's 

 Rs. Report, 



In Wynaad per oS. 32 39 10 6 



In the Nelamboor Valley. . , „ 34 41 4 0 



At Capul and Cacatode.. ... . , „ 36 43 0 0 



If required to be melted into ingots 4 Annas per ounce must be 

 added for Goldsmith's hire and borax — so that the purchase of 

 Wynaad gold will yield a profit of upwards of 23 per cent., J\''elam- 

 hoar gold 20 per cent., and Cajpul gold 19 per cent." 



The success that attended the prosecution of their examination of 

 Nelamhoor valley is thus related. " We have returned to Caful 

 after having duly searched as miicn of the Nelamhoor valley as the 

 jungle has permitted us to penetrate, and I am happy to add that 

 we have been as successful as could be wished. The mines in that 

 direction are innumerable ; the principal ones however are in the 

 thickest part of the jungle immediately under the Wynaad Hills, 

 and near the following villages belonging to the Teroopaad of Ne- 

 lamhoor, viz. Coranhaat, Kotcha'poora^ Moondairy and Maneecoote. 

 The Coranhaat jungle is mined throughout wherever the ground 

 will admit of water being supplied from the neighbouring Rivers, 

 this being the only thing requisite as the whole of the soil under the 

 Hills contains gold, the quality of which is much the same as the 

 specimen labelled * from the JSTeloinhoor Rajah's mines.' " 



At this stage the party were again compelled to desist from the 

 ravages of fever. Lieutenant Nicolson and Mr.Huguenin were both 

 obliged to return to Calicut seriously ill, and the Pioneers were re- 

 called to the Head Quarters of the Regiment on the Neilgherry Hills. 



Lieutenant Nicolson came round from Cannanore to Madras by 

 sea, and having sufficiently recovered his health by the voyage re- 

 turned to the scene of his labours in June, 1832, visiting such spots 

 on his way as he considered likely to produce the mineral of which 

 he had been in search for so many months. Tidings of the existence 

 of gold were found " at Darampoory, at the foot of the Shervarotj 

 Hills, at Sat tiamung alum, Danagancottah, Addevarum or Stremogay ^ 

 and Metapolliam, in the neighbourhood of which, there are, I am 

 informed, now about thirty people employed in gold-washing," He 

 likewise made inquiries as to the market prices of gold and found 

 " that in all large bazars where there is a great demand for ^old its 

 commercial value far exceeds its real value as reported by the Mint 

 Master, for instance, gold of 9 touch is generally sold in the Madras 



