1847.] 



in the Province of Malabar. 



175 



ten yields sixty-three grains in not more than five pounds weight, 

 which is in the proportion of fifty times as much.'*' 



6. " The quantity found by one man per day, by the rude methods 

 of working above described, has been variously stated, and it must 

 be expected to vary according to the industry of the parties, the de- 

 gree of productiveness and other obvious circumstances. The Na- 

 tives examined by the Committee state it to be about two grains 

 daily. Lieutenant Nicolson in his answers says, a good workman will 

 collect six grains a day, but mentions the quantity collected by the 

 Pioneers employed under him to be only three grains. They are in- 

 clined to think however from all that has come to their knowledge, 

 that one-third of a gold fanam or two grains is a fair average. 



As in the course of this Report repeated allusion is made to the 

 new and old gold fanam, as a measure of weight and value it may be 

 useful to state here the proportion they bear to the more usual stan- 

 dards. The average weight of a new gold fanam is six grains 

 nearly and eighty maj^ be reckoned to the ounce Troy. The touch is 

 46|- and the average net mint value of 100 pieces is Kupees 24-8-11. 

 The average weight of the old gold fanam is about 5*79 grains ; the 

 touch is 47||, and the mint value of 100 pieces is Rupees 24-7-3. 



7. " The quantity annually produced is also difficult to be deter- 

 mined. The proverbial unwillingness of a native to state his wealth 

 and the jealousy more especially regarding any interference of the 

 English with the mines, render it almost impossible to gain any cor- 

 rect information on the subject. The quantity sold in the different 

 bazars in Malabar and the adjacent provinces, if it could be possible 

 to ascertain it, would be some criterion to guide a calculation, but 

 the Committee have been unsuccessful in their inquiries on this 

 point. One of the most respectable natives examined by the Com- 

 mittee states the annual quantity at forty thousand new gold fanams 

 weight or five hundred ounces. Lieutenant Nicolson says that seven 

 hundred Moplays would collect eight ounces a day. The Gomastah 

 employed by Government to buy up gold asserts, he could purchase 

 about one thousand gold fanams weight in the neighbourhood of 

 Nelamhoor alone, but from his price being low, this is but a small 

 proportion of the whole produce. INlr. Sheffield mentions that he was 

 informed the annual produce below the Ghauts was 5,200 gold 

 fanams weight, and in Wynaad 6,000, making the total 11,200 or 



* Volume III. p p 58j 59. 



