530 
TIN. 
length of eighty fathoms beneath the sea. In se- 
veral places the distance which separates the work- 
men from the element which roars above them is 
not more than three fathoms, so that they can hear 
the dashing of the waves. They have even had 
the rashness to pick out certain parts of the vein 
which has been richer than common, so as to leave 
a roof of only a few feet in thickness. In these 
places the noise of the w aves, whenever the weather 
is violently tempestuous, is so aw ful, that the work- 
men are terrified, and leave the mine, expecting it to 
be swallowed up by the sea. 
At Polgooth, about two miles to the south-west 
of St. Austel, there are very rich and extensive tin- 
mines, situated in a part of the country which for 
many miles around has a most bleak, desolate, and 
barren appearance. This aspect contributes, with 
the sallow and miserable look of the miners, to ex- 
cite very gloomy and melancholy ideas. The shafts , 
by which the miners descend and the ore is raised 
to the surface, are scattered over a considerable ex- 
tent of barren ground, and are more than fifty in 
number ; twenty or thirty of which are constantly 
in use. The descent into the mine is by means of 
ladders, placed almost perpendicularly : at the foot 
of each ladder is a narrow break, or landing-place ; 
and at certain intervals are openings into different 
beds of ore. Whenever a stranger is inclined to 
descend into these mines, he is previously accoutred 
with a flannel shirt and trowsers, a close cap, an old 
hat to shelter his face from droppings, and a thick 
