45° 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
(Jan.  2,  1893. 
who  either  own  or  work  gem  lands,  that  some  of 
these  are  in  the  best  localities  in  Ceylou  for  gems 
that  have  as  yet  been  discovered. 
II.— DESCRIPTIVE  GEOLOGY. 
Gneiss  forms  the  chief  rock  over  all  this  portion 
of  Ceylon.  It  is  of  a bedded  character,  the  folia- 
tion coinciding  with  the  bedding  ; and  contains  layers 
of  graphic  granite,  hornblendic  gneiss,  and  in  some 
few  instances  of  granular  limestone.  The  graphic 
granite  and  hornblendic  gneiss  are  usually  seen 
passing  gradually  into  the  gneiss  at  the  planes  of  con- 
tact ; but  the  former  exist  also  as  veins  in  the  gneiss. 
Granular  limestones  occupies  a very  subordinate 
position  as  regards  its  extent  in  beds,  being  only 
seen  in  three  or  four  places,  and  in  such  instance 
in  obscured  positions.  In  other  por  ions  of  the  country 
it  is  said  to  be  more  fully  developed.  Very  few  n- 
stances  of  contorted  foliation  of  the  gneiss  are  to  be 
seen,  and  fibrous  varieties  are  rare.  In  some  places 
this  rock  occurs  in  a series  of  thin  layers,  but  is 
chiefly  met  with  in  extensive  massive  beds. 
High  mountain  ranges,  entirely  composed  of  these 
rocks,  cross  the  country,  one  the  main  range — cul- 
minating in  Adam’s  Peak,  7,352  feet  in  height.  These 
fall  away  to  the  plains  on  either  hand  at  various 
distances  from  the  sea  coast.  Minor  ridges  and 
isolated  hills  lie  between,  amongst  which  are  extensive 
valleys,  in  which  flow  numerous  rivers  and  streams 
having  their  sources  in  the  mountains.  All  the  ranges 
trend  in  a south-easterly  and  north-westerly  direction 
about  Ratnapura  and  Balangoda  ; but  westward  of 
Dodampe  they  run  almost  north  and  south ; while 
at  Rakwanne  they  lie  nearly  east  and  west. 
The  streams  in  their  courses  flow  through  alluvial 
valleys  where  nearly  all  the  flat  land  is  given  up  to 
rice  cultivation.  In  the  alluvium  are  layers  of  gravel 
which  in  many  places  are  worked  for  gems,  either 
by  a sort  of  hand-dredging  process  with  hoes  under 
the  beds  of  the  rivers,  or  by  pits  sunk  to  them  near 
the  banks  of  the  streams. 
Upon  the  hill  sides,  bordering  mountain  streams 
and  torrents,  there  is  usually  a heavy  coating  of  hill- 
wash,  in  which  are  layers  of  g m-bearing  gravel, 
which  in  some  places  is  mined  for  gems.  This  class 
of  gem-mining  is  the  most  important  one  in  the 
whole  colony,  and  the  mode  of  working  adopted 
more  systematic  than  that  carried  on  in  the  flat 
alluvial  diggings. 
By  the  decomposition  and  subsequent  disintegra- 
tion of  the  rocks  forming  the  mountain  and  hill  masses 
the  precious  stones  contained  therein  in  crystallized 
form  have  been  liberated,  and  after  transportation 
to  greater  or  lesser  distances,  deposited  in  the  alluvia. 
As  far  as  can  be  ascertained  no  stones  have  yet 
been  discovered  in  the  matrix,  which  undoubtedly  is 
gneiss,  graphic  granite  and  granular  limestone.  Garnet 
crystals  of  small  size  very  frequently  occur  in  the 
gneiss  and  granite,  forming  in  many  instances  a large 
proportion  of  the  constituents  of  the  rock. 
III.— DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  PROPERTIES. 
The  following  is  a list  of  the  properties  leased  t° 
the  Syndicate  by  Native  Owners,  or  offered  for  selec- 
tion by  the  Government,  and  also  includes  one  which 
was  purchased  : — 
IN  RATNAPURA  DISTRICT. 
1. 
Millewitya 
790 
acres. 
Leased  by  Owner. 
2. 
Kah  an  gam  a 
253 
,, 
3. 
Mara  iy  a 
10 
4. 
Maraliyawatte  . . 
13 
n 
5. 
Hiddelena 
14 
n 
6. 
Pothgool 
20 
5) 
, , ,, 
7. 
99  • # 
Haldola 
9 
8. 
21 
99 
Offered  by  Govern- 
ment. 
9. 
Weraniyagoda  . . 55  ,,  „ 
1,185  acres. 
IN  DOLOSWELLA  DISTRICT. 
10. 
Doloswella 
1,200 
acres. 
Leased  by  Owner. 
11. 
Dela  Mmdagama  1,000 
99 
12. 
Erabodda 
1,800 
>»  V 
4,000  aores. 
IN  RAKWANNE  DISTRICT. 
13. 
Butiyatenne 
357  acres. 
Leased  by  Owner. 
14. 
Golden  Grov 
507  „ 
Purchased. 
15. 
Spring  Vale 
235  ,, 
Leased  by  Owner. 
99  99 
16. 
Depedene 
220  „ 
17. 
Fernlee 
267  „ 
,, 
18. 
New  Depedene  . 
226  „ 
99  9 9 
19. 
Mel  brake 
185  „ 
20. 
Bulatkande 
244  „ 
21. 
Tulukan 
213  „ 
22. 
Upper  Tulukan  . 
123  „ 
2,577  acres. 
99  99 
22a. 
Aratchy’s  Lot  . 
2 acres. 
Leased  by  Owner. 
IN  KUKU  KORALE  (RAKWANNE). 
23.  Traquair  . . 163  acres.  Leased  by  Owner. 
IN  BAEANGODA  DISTRICT. 
24.  Morahele  ..  7,000?  acres.  Offered  by  Owner. 
The  positions  of  these  properties  is  shown  on  the 
accompanying  map  of  one  inch  to  the  mile. 
1.  Willewiiiya  is  a large  property  the  greater 
portion  of  which  is  level,  or  very  slightly  undulating 
land,  while  the  remainder  is  hiil-side.  Its  northern 
boundary  is  about  a quarter  of  a mile  from  the 
western  Tide  of  the  Kaiu  Ganga  River,  about  3J 
miles  from  Ratnapura.  A fine  stream  comes  off  the 
hill,  and  flows  through  it,  emi  tying  itself  into  the 
K lu  Ganga;  while  the  Hincla  Ganga  flows  in  a level 
bottom  close  by  its  southern  side. 
Pits  were  sunk  on  this  property  to  test  the  value 
of  the  gem  bearing  gravel,  “illan,1’  as  it  is  called 
by  the  natives,  and  which  being  short,  is  a conveni- 
ent term  to  use.  One  of  these  was  sunk  on  the  edge 
of  the  stream  above-mentioned,  at  a height  of  some 
200  feet,  in  the  alluvium  bordering  it,  which  showed 
nearly  4 feet  of  illan,  with  a cover  of  only  2 feet 
6 inches  of  loam.  Twenty-five  cubic  feet  of  illan, 
whe  washed,  produced  a good,  prospect.  (See  pros- 
p ct  No.  1.) 
In  the  second  pit,  which  was  sunk  at  the  head  of 
a small  stream  on  the  level  land  in  the  vicinity  of 
numerous  shallow  pits  of  some  2 feet  in  depth — where 
natives  gem  duri  g wet  weather,  when  water  can  be 
obtained  for  washing  the  illan  procured — a depth  of 
13  feet  6 inches  was  reached.  Here  ‘■be  first  illan 
commences  at  the  surface,  and  desscend  to  a 
depth  of  2 feet  6 inches,  being  composed  of 
mixed  gravel  and  loam.  From  this  downwards 
there  was  yellow  clay  and  2 'eet  of  illan 
a i-econd  layer;  and  bemaih  was  bluish-gray  clay 
covering  a third  illan  ol  2 feet  in  thickness.  The 
fourth  ilbn,  of  3 feit  in  thickness,  was  of  b blmsh- 
grav  colour,  similar  to  the  third,  l ut  mixed  with  flat 
pieces  of  a cur  ous  gray  felspatbic  rock,  comaiiing 
blue  felspar  and  green  mica  cystals  along  with  coarse 
pink  spinels. 
The  first  end  fourth  illan,  when  washed,  showed 
very  good  results,  whi’st  ihe  tliiid  was  good  and  the 
stcond  poor.  In  all,  about  125  cubic  feet  was  operated 
upon  with  very  promising  results.  (See  prospects  Noe. 
2,  3,  4,  4a  & 5 ) 
The  miners  sav  that  the  toppartof  tbe  il'an  produces 
catseyee  aid  mbies  and  the  lower  sapphires. 
In  all,  we  obtained  42  pale  blue  sapphires  of  fair  size 
and  13  pale  rubies,  lesides  chryeot  eryl,  fommidine 
and  p>nk  spinel.  The  infern  ce  is  tb»t  when  working 
a large  amount  of  gravel  good  sapphires  may  be  met 
with  amongst  the  large  number  of  good-sizt  d though 
off-coloured  stems  tm-wr  to  <x‘st  in  the  idati. 
From  the  w;ay  this  place  has  been  worked,  it  is 
natural  to  conclude  that  it  pays  those  who  dig  the 
numerous  holes  in  the  immediate  vicinity  which  ex- 
tend over  acres  of  land  There  is  over  100  acres  of 
this  land,  the  surface  illan  of  which  could  be  easily 
washed  in  a"  sluice,  water  being  h d round  the  bill  : 
from  tbe  stream  before-mentioned ; besides  other 
portions  of  the  fiat  land  to  tbe  south. 
A few  hundred  yards  north  of  this,  on  a small 
stream,  are  the  remains  of  large  workings  in  its 
bed,  which  is  known  as  tbe  King’s  Gem  Pond,  and 
tbe  tradition  relating  to  it,  according  to  the  natives 
living  near  the  spot,  is  that  at  one  time,  ages  ago, 
a Tamil  king  in  India  sent  over  every  year  on$ 
