72	GOLD IN CEYLON.
	and that Mr. Dixon could not find any of similar quality for the good reason that all the best boulders [had been collected and used up for estate purposes. There exists, however, a small bed of limestone not far away which runs through native property, and which had the Superintendent of Rangwelletenne (Mr. G. D. Brabazon) not been absent from the district, he could readily have pointed out to Mr. Dixon. Altogether it is a pity that the geologist's visit to the I district was* not made known to proprietors generally beforehand. His attention could have been directed to what is supposed to be the richest gemming land in the district, near the Everton ridge, and also on Batakande from which, last year, it is said, ,£9,000 of precious stones were sold, all taken from an area not exceeding 2-1/2 acres! The old Everton pits which were sunk to a depth of 120 feet had to be abandoned by C. M. llassana Marikar, because he had no means of pumping out an accumulation of water. It is very evident that there is room with modern appliances and adequate capital for a Limited Company to develop a very profitable Gem-digging industry in the Sabaragamuwa district.