Specimens
of Fossils. Dr. Kelaart says: "The Limestone in which the Ceylon
fossils are imbedded, is of a very compact and pure form. In one hand
specimen we observed a fossil phalange about an inch in length,
apparently of a large Saurian reptile. This unique specimen is now in
the Museum of the Asiatic Society of Ceylon." Dr. Kelaart's Zoology of
Ceylon, p. x.
Looking
at the frequency with which, to the confusion of Geological theories,
gold has been found in porphoritic rocks, it is interesting to know
that rocks, of this description, were noticed by Dr. Gygax near
Balangoda. The Gold Question.
[For the Government License to diggers, see page 3 of this pamphlet.]
The
price fixed for a License would not perhaps be too high, if only
nuggets of gold, or dust in quantity had been found. But the
application of Mrs. Glass's rule in cookery is obvious : " First catch
your hare." Government ought to have been satisfied that a source of
revenue existed before they attempted to derive revenue from it. We are
bound, however, to concede that the preservation of peace and order
were objects in view in the issue of Proclamations which are doubtless
repressive in their tendency. It will be observed, that although in the
sale of Crown Lands, the rights of the Crown to mineral deposits were
especially reserved. There is at present no prohibition to private
parties to search and mine their private lands. If in searching the
quartz beds which, in planting coffee, cultivators so religiously
avoided, rich deposits should be found, of course the finders will at
once inform Government! The prejudice against quartz in planting
operations may go far to answer the question. " Why, if nuggets exist,
were they not discovered in all the digging connected with 300 estates
of 60,000 to 70,000 acres, spread over ranges of hills and stream ? "
Of course " prospecting" is now going on everywhere, and we think the
bed and sources of the Kelaniganga about Yatiyantota and Ambagamuwa
ought not to be neglected. We recollect being much struck with masses
of beautiful red quartz on one of Mr. Anstruther's estates which we saw
in 1849. And it appears from the valuable extracts from Earp's little
work which we this day afford, that that gold is generally found in
quartz at the foot of the Icnuer ranges of hills, such as those
of Kadugannawa, Dolosbage, Ambagamuwa, &c. Our friend of the "
Examiner" dwells much on slate formations, but we have none of these in
Ceylon. Gold is found in slate formations, but much more frequently and
much more plentifully in quartz. Amongst the circumstances which are
now revived is the fact that a French cook who was with Major Blackall
in Ceylon, used to search for gold in the bed of the Mahaweliganga. He
is said to have gathered particles of the metal to the value of £2, but
with a result which it is but too probable may attend the present more
extensive researches—the quantity of gold found did not pay the labour
expended on its collection. The well-known hill near Kandy called
Rangalla signifies " the gold mountain," and we are told that the name
of a coffee estate in the neighbourhood signifies "the gold mine." Dr.
Kelaart, in his recent work on the Fauna of Ceylon, has the following
passage:—
"
Iron pyrites, mangnetic and hematitic ores of iron are abundant in the
district. Long before Europeans visited Nuwara Eliya, the natives used
to come up to smell iron from the ferriferous rocks found here. Gold is
also said to have been discovered here."
Our
brother of the " Times " however states, in reference to a specimen of
red quartz forwarded )to him from the mountain sanatarium, that it
contains yellow , mica but no gold. The gold must be looked for lower
down. To bring together all the information possible bearing on the
subject, we reprint below some passages from Pridham's compilation and
an extract from the late paper by Dr. MacVicar.
(From Pridham's Compilation.)
"From
the nature of the rocks other metals might have been expected ' in
Ceylon, says a learned geologist, who mentions hat he has sought in vain
