812 
SKETCH OF THE PROCESS OF MINING 
equal size fitting exactly into a long wooden canal or trough which 
is placed obliquely into the mine, they are united to each other by 
joints and thus connected into a chain, which is kept in constant ro¬ 
tatory motion by the large wheel, while a small wheel attached to 
the lower extremity of the trough directs the planks, during their 
rotation into the water; each dips, takes up or moves forward a 
small quantity, and by their number they produce a returning stream 
from the collection at the bottom of the mine. The substances 
composing the strata, which have been repeatedly enumerated in the 
preceding mineralogtcal description, are now successively carried 
out: for this purpose each miner employs two small baskets which 
are suspended by a lever across the shoulders in the usual manner 
of carrying weights ; to facilitate the descent into and ascent from the 
pits, large trunks of trees are placed obliquely in them, into which 
steps are cut to support the feet. 
The progress of the work and the time requisite for carrying out 
the superior strata, depend on the situation of the pit and the num¬ 
ber of miners employed: in the large mines of Jehus and Klabbet 
3 to 4 months are generally required for this purpose. 
On arriving at the stratum containing the ore, its contents are de¬ 
posited separately in heaps near the aqueducts, so as to be conve¬ 
niently situated for the process of washing : the larger fragments 
being removed, the appearance of the white clay or Kong-tay ap¬ 
prizes the miners of the termination of the stratum. 
I observed in several instances, that before the miners had pene¬ 
trated far below the surface, a canal was conducted along the pit 
into which the mould and uppet strata were thrown and thus car¬ 
ried away by the current, saving by this means a great deal of la¬ 
bour ; this method however is more generally employed in small or 
kulit mines, whose principles of working are otherwise the same. 
But as they are always attempted comparatively by few r bands, such 
situations only are selected where the ore is near the surface. In 
all the small mines which I visited I observed a canal near the 
pit to assist in carrying away the upper strata, as they were thrown 
in by the miners. These mines are uniformly less regular in their 
excavation than the large mines, and are in most cases laid out oil 
an inclining ground which greatly facilitates the removal of the su¬ 
perfluous earth : besides that a collection of water must be prevent¬ 
ed, as this method rarely admits of the use of the machine or wheel 
to draw it out. 
