1847.] 



in the Province of Malabar. 



171 



District, and in the sand of the Beypoor river near Calicut. Though 

 the sources are evidently numerous from which this valuable metal 

 can be obtained in the Indian'^Peninsula, it would seem from the 

 little interest they have hitherto excited, that none of them promised 

 to be very productive.'* We have thus positive proof of the exist- 

 ence of some gold mines for at least forty years. Those at Capul 

 have been opened by the Moplays within the last eight years, and 

 those at Teroomaly not more than four or five. 



4. " In an extract of a paper, dated 9th January, 1829, by Mr, 

 Sheffield, it is stated that in 1801 the goM dust in the Ernaad country 

 was farmed for Rupees 1,408-8-0. He mentions also that at the 

 time of writing (1829) the privilege of gathering gold was formed 

 out above the Ghauts for the sum of Madras Rupees 1,250, and be- 

 low the Ghauts, in Ernaad, for Rupees 937-15-4, making a total of 

 Rupees 2,187-15-4, Since 1803, a tax of 33 Rupees a year each 

 has been levied on a certain number of pauthies or troughs employed 

 in washing for gold. At present this amounts in Ernaad to Rupees 

 839, which is a falling off of 569 Rupees a year since 1801 ; and in 

 Wynaad to Rupees 1,260. Besides this, the privilege of collecting 

 gold in Kadaloondy has within the last two or three years been farm- 

 ed for Rupees 108 ; which makes the whole amount now received 

 by way of tax upon gold, paid to the Company, 2,207 Rupees. The 

 smalhiess of this sum may be adduced as another presumptive 

 proof of the little value attached to the gold mines in Malabar. Had 

 their productiveness been considerable, it is not probable that it would 

 have escaped the observation of the active and talented gentlemen 

 who have at different times been employed in assessing the reve- 

 nue of the province, more especially when we consider that a tax 

 on the precious metals is the fairest possible, as when they are 

 employed as currency it falls upon no body.f Accordingly we find 

 that in the Spanish Colonies a seignorage of one-fifth was levied on 

 the produce of the mines j" and Thunberg mentions that in Ja - 

 fan, which may in gold contest the palm with the richest country 

 in the world, the Emperor received two-thirds of the quantity 

 collected. § 



5. " The Committee in the prosecution of their personal examina- 

 tion of the mines, assembled at Nelamhoor, a village near the cen- 



* Ainslie's Materia Medica of Hindoostan, 1st edit. p. 51. t Mills' Pol. Econ. p. 298.. 

 % Mawes' Travels in Brazil passim. I Travels Vol. iv. page 103. 



