124 



Account of the Operations 



[July 



rock, and charged with 12-lbs. of powder each, at intervals of four and 

 five feet. 



24th. The holes were not sunk to the required depth, as the divers 

 could not reach the bottom with their hands, and the sand or powdered 

 stone was washed out of the ladles before reaching the top. Directed 

 an auger to be made with a tin tube for this purpose. The work was, 

 however, very good, and 1414 cubic feet of stone removed. The boat- 

 swain with the convicts did more work than the sappers, which must be 

 attributed to the excellent superintendence they were under. 



25th. The holes were now sunk to the required depth, and one 10-lb. 

 charge fired, which made a crater of about four feet in diameter. The 

 other holes were charged with less, as the rock was found not to be of 

 great thickness ; three craters were produced, but the rock was not as 

 usual rent beyond the actual effect of the charges. We regretted much 

 not having it in our power to have simultaneous discharges, which 

 would make a large excavation at once. The present method will be 

 tedious and fatiguing, from the length of time it takes to charge and re- 

 turn to the same spot. The rock is so exceedingly soft it offers little 

 more resistance than clay, so on a perfectly flat body the effect was 

 comparatively trifling ; a considerable portion of rock had been de- 

 tached, and 1524 feet was removed, through the energy of the person 

 before mentioned, boatswain Morris ; 103-lbs. of powder expended, in 

 seventeen charges, without a single failure. The leather cases well 

 dammered and dusted with lime, answer better than-tin cases, and are 

 of much less cost. 



27th. Received a letter from the assistant government agent at 

 Jaffna, and also the boat and machinery for weighing stones. The 

 frame and wheel of this machine are calculated for a boat of double this 

 size, and as much above the centre. It will not answer for stones of any 

 weight, which is much to be regretted, as the machinery is of the best 

 description, and the boat a beautiful model. Removed today 1143 feet 

 of stone, part of the hands being employed on the Jaffna boat. 



28th.— The wind has changed decidedly to the south, with more cur- 

 rentand sand than we had before experienced, and the water discoloured. 

 Three charges only fired, from the difficulty of finding the holes, but re- 

 moved 1715 cubic feet of stone, the greatest quantity yet taken up. 



29th.— Tried a raft, with a small iron windlass, as a weighing boat, 

 which worked very well, but requires seamen and a European to 

 manage it. Removed 1620 cubic feet of stone, though the current was 

 strong from the south. We had previous to this been principally en- 

 gaged on the south side of the reef, as being the most sheltered, but 

 now ordered the work to the centre and north. A boat arrived from 

 Colombo, with timber and catamarans, the wood of the latter very 

 s P° n gy» an d in an advanced stage of decay. The season is too far 



