26s MINES, METALS, AND GEMS. 
chief part of the commerce of the country, 
doms of Monomotapa and Sofala likewise 
• , . 0 . 1.1 . 1,0 D.,t‘hl.lUeS iK'^ I 
aoras U1 x»j.u»ijmuiftrA ouv. ....... .« v‘ 
siderable quantities of gold 5 and the Portugu® Jiy 
side in the latter territory, report that it yields an ,M 
millions of metigals, equal to somewhat _ 
million sterling. The merchants export frony 
other parts, about the same quantity of gold. jj id ■ 
diers aVe paid in gold dust, in the state in 
lected ; and this is so pure, and of so fine a l>y 
to be exceeded, when wrought, by any other g 
that of Japan. Geld is likewise' found on tnc 
Madagascar. The gold ebast is so denominaty 'Jjt 
abundance of gold found among the sands ; d 
ever, so productive as has been generally snPP®"^^ f 
to the intense heats, which, in a great nieasu 
the natives from prosecuting their researches. 
__ T pm ..'U 
In Asia, the island of Japan .. — , 
gold, which is found in several of its P'‘°'-’‘'“'j|i; 0''^^ 
in by far the greater proportion, melted j n y 
is likewise procured by washing the sands, ^ 
quantity is likewise found in the ore of copi j,vy 
emperor claims a supreme jurisdiction, not oaj, >' . 
emperor eiaiuis a su^jicmc junoutviiwn, a—- jir 
gold mines, but over all the mines of the en 1 
are not allowed to be worked without a liccrd , iiyjj 
iUC UUL ailWVVV.s-4 IVA 1.AW - ^ ^ J 
Two thirds of their produce belong to him, 
third is left to the governor of the P™' ‘"‘j® 
mines are situated. But the richest gold f' |iiO 
; ot j 
which yields the finest gold, is dug in one 01 - 
provinces of the island of Niphon, a depeiidoty^iity, 
where the gold mines have been highly P‘® J-'V 
latterly, that they have much fallen olf. 
province of Tsekungo, a rich gold mint^> 
filled with water, was no longer worked : 
ever, so situated, that, by cutting the rocky, j 1;. J 
an opening beneath the mine, the u’liter .,11*^1,;^ 
drawn off, this was attempted. At 'the p,rjiy\ 
mencing the operation,, so violent a storm 
lightning arose, that the workmen were o iiiy|, 
shelter elsewhere; raid these superstitious pe"l 
that the tutelar god and protector of the sP“‘ya 
have tlie bowels of the earth thus rifled, 
storm to make them sensible of his great disp* ' 
