112 
Some account of the Lead 
[April, 
prevalent is yellow or ocliry. These are dug with comparative .ease : that imbed- 
ded in quartz, and found in beautiful crystals, and, in a great measure, free from 
extraneous substances, called by the natives surtna, and sold, as taken from the 
mines, as antimony, is the most difficult to be removed ; lumps of this ore, weigh- 
ing from 2 to 3 lbs. have been used as antimony, for laboratory purposes, in the 
Ajinir magazine, in their natural state. The strata, through which the veins 
traverse, are of various natures ; sand-stone, free and slaty ; chalk, and quartz- 
rock ; neither do they succeed each other in any thing like regular order. As an 
instance of this, the main branch of one of the mines, about 200 cubits (diago- 
nally) deep, now passes through a soil composed of chalk 1 , or rather greasy, 
saponaceous earth ; sometimes beautifully streaked, at others perfectly white, 
and of little density. As the rock is never blasted, and as in meeting with quartz- 
rock it resists the tools, the workmen have recourse to a very simple method ; 
which is in lighting a fire of wood below, or alongside the spot, and thereby, in a 
degree, calcining the surface. This measure is resorted to, on leaving off work 
for the day, about noon ; when, on their return the following morning, the 
object has been effected, and the smoke dissipated. 
The tools, like those in use with every native artificer, are few, and of simple 
construction. They consist of two or three hammers of different weights ; some iron 
chisels, or wedges edged with steel, and a few one-armed picks. They commence 
work about sunrise. Having freed themselves of every article of clothing, they 
enter on their operations, each man bearing a small lamp in his hand. On the 
ore being dug, it is broken into small pieces, for the convenience of carriage, and 
placed in small bamboo baskets. As the gallery is not sufficiently high to 
allow of the workmen standing upright, they sit on their haunches, arranged 
in a row, from 4 to 12, according to the capacity of the mine, and pass the baskets 
on from one to another. When the whole has reached the foremost man, they 
move upwards, and again range themselves. This is continued until the mouth 
of the mine is attained. Once or twice a month, it becomes necessary to widen 
that portion of the passage last worked; the ore generally occupyiug only a 
small share of the course. This extraneous matter, on being dug, is removed 
from , hand to hand, in baskets, as with respect to the ore. As the apertures 
of several of the mines are close to each other, it will be conjectured that the 
workmen occasionally meet. This is of frequent occurrence ; and as each 
main branch, which is designated a mine, belongs to individual head miners, 
the dispute of to whom belongs the vein both have reached, by different 
courses, is determined by panchalet : the result, generally, being the erection of 
a wall of loose stones on the point of contact, when each pxtrsues a different 
course, or miner vein. This meeting of different channels is so far useful, 
that it materially tends to the ventilation of the branches. No distinct exca- 
vation is made to effect this object ; neither is it requisite; as the air receives 
a full circulation, by passing through numerous vents. The temperature is prettv 
uniform at all seasons, aad as the workmen rarely remain more than 3 or 4 hours 
below the surface, they are very healthy. The rocks are so adhesive as to obviate 
the necessity for any artificial support. The only inconvenience to which they are 
occasionally subject is the falling of the loose stones piled along the sides of the 
branches, which blocks up the communication Thus i a- „ 
e n , , , 1 . . cation. 1 tms the workmen are sometimes 
confined for many hours in the mines : the only clew to their situation, being 
al ZT.: ik * indura,ed ‘f °; *»***>«. mineral is indifferently called; 
tS -Er Pr0I>r,etJr0f,he ,erm,0t least in ,his be more than 
