Ch. 1: Gold in Ceylon

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	54	GOLD IN CEYLON.

	Gordon's Bridge and the result was satisfactory—Gold was found in the same minute "specks" as found at first at Yattalgodde. Proceeding higher up and touching the main stream again at Fort King washing was recommenced and with the same result. Gold was again found. Above Fort King for some two miles the traveller passes over a vein of granitic gneiss with little or no quartz in it; but at Deyenwelle he again finds it. The experiment was repeated there and with success. Pushing onwards the river was searched at Nartakanda Estate in Dolosbage (having now passed the boundary of Four Korles) immediately below the magnificent watefall and again the presence of gold was detected—and thus in all the five places reached, 4 in the Maha Oya itself; the highest spot at a distance of not less than from 50 to 60 miles from the lowest, and one in a tributary stream, gold was discovered—thus proving that over a great extent of surface the auriferous deposit has taken place. It should be borne in mind that from the shortness of time before the mail would leave, (heir experiments were necessarily confined to surface-washing and in no instance was a greater depth than from 18 to 20 inches reached; the tools a crowbar and a spade with a common tin basin to wash with. At Nartakanda Estate it was reported that a piece of gold attached to quartz had been found in Upper Dolosbage of the size of a walnut—but 'our informant, who had handled, had not tested it though he said he believed it gold ; the precious metal has also we have heard been found at Matale by a Kangany in the service of one of the largest estate proprietors in the Island—that Gentleman at once went to the Diggings to learn the '"modus operandi' And doubtless he is digging now. Returning via Ambepusse we heard that the yield was about 2 dwts. daily—this with only 3 diggers (2 being as before stated with the Commissioner and 2 gone to Colombo) and with neither bore nor pump, and only surface digging for they have not yet reached a depth of five feet below the surface. P. S.—Since writing the above we have heard that the quantity of gold increases rapidly as the digging gets deeper, and that three pieces were found in one day larger than the 2} gr.. piece mentioned above.

	(From the Observer, June 10, 1S54.) GOLD AGAIN. We have been informed that Bradley and his fellows who have been employed by Mr. John Selby in searching for gold, have at length succeeded in finding the precious metal on a private property at Nuwara Kliya, in nuggets, at a depth of 2h feet from the surface. Of course we do not a*k our readers to believe more than they like of this rumour.

	(From the Observer, June 29, l»',i.) Gold. The Mountain, 22nd June, 1A">4. Messrs. Editors,—The sensation caused by the so-called gold discovery at Ambepussa has hardly terminated before we are again startled with the intelligence of nuggets being found at Nuwara Eliya, and as you surmised lh.» news is lo say the least premature, for from personal enquiry I find the total yield lo date is about 40 or 50 speck; being the proceeds of a number of days' work, and as it is almost necessary to use a microscope to make them perceptible, you may be assured that it is a matter of difficulty, lo ascertain th^ir probable value ; but if we can rely upon the opinion entertained by the diggers themselves, the days for coffee growing are numbered, as they anticipated finding a mine of wealth in the Nuwara Kliya plains, and this does not seem improbable if we bear in mind the fact, that these men are devoting their time and lalmir lo an enterprise of which there are great misgivings; but if Government are desirous to develope the mineral resources of the country, they could not do better than

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