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120 GOLD AND GEMS IN CEYLON.
Limestone is found abundantly.
Marble may be met with, but not of great purity.
So
rich is the soil of many parts of Ceylon in precious stones, that
despite the explorations which have been carried on for so many
centuries, there is still an incredible quantity in Sabaragamuwa. They
consist chiefly of the ruby, blue and yellow sapphire, chrysoberyl,
topaz, tourmaline, spinel, garnet, cinnamon-stone, and opal. Amongst
all these the proportion of really valuable stones is comparatively
small; still many are to be found of great brilliancy and beauty.
Great
number of persons o; very indifferent character employ their whole time
in searching and gambling for precious stones, and the villagers are
addicted to it to an excess which interferes prejudicially with the
cultivation of their paddy and other lands. It is a pursuit in every
way hurtful to the character of the people generally, and the district
would benefit much could the search be kept as formerly in the hands of
a licensed few. It is estimated that from this district alone,
exclusively of a large demand within the island, stones to the value of
,£4,000, or ,£5,000 are annually exported, of which Government receives
no share whatever.
From
the low state of civilization of the natives, they cannot be expected
to take any active part in the development of the mineral resources of
the country. Their dislike to labour is painfully manifested, and is
not likely 10 be overcome so long as they can obtain a living by
searching or gambling for precious stones. Whilst this source of
subsistence is left to them, they will not trouble themselves to
undertake any mining operations, and it can only be by the aid of
European industry, energy, and skill, that the natural wealth of this
district is ever likely to be opened up. But it is not the people alone
who prove obstacles to mineralogical researches and labuor; the country
itself, from its very nature, offers impediments of a serious kind the
luxuriance of the vegetation, even amongst the most rocky parts of the
district, renders correct and continuous examination of the face of the
country tedious and difficult. But the greatest impediment to mining
operations will prove to be the high level of the rivers, especially of
the Kaluganga; and until this can be reduced, which it may be by
blasting rocks at the various falls, we cannot hope to prosecute such
operations successfully, or at least not to any practical extent. The
most encouraging portions of this district for minerals appear to be
the eastward, where there is great promise of plumbago, anthracite,
and iron. As to lead and copper, these ores might be more reasonably
looked for there than in the higher range of mountains; and tin ore, as
has been before remarked, appears to be met with in quantity towards
the higher zone near the Edelgassina Pass.
In
the course of my explorations a number of resins and colouring articles
have been found, of an entirely novel character, and some likely to
prove of commercial value; but as yet sufficient time has not elapsed
to allow of their being carefully analysed—a process which is now
occupying my attention, and which in this country, where the means and
appliances are not abundant, proves often a most difficult and tedious
undertaking.
Rudolph Gvgax.
Colombo, 30th June, 1848.
GEMS IX SABARAGAMUWA.
(Extracts
from a Report made by Mr. /•'. A'. Saunders, Assistant Government
Agent, Jialnapura, to the Government Agent, Colombo, in 1S67.) I
have the honor to report, that so far as I can ascertain, regular
gemming by pit-digging has never been freely and openly allowed on
Crown land, though in remote districts very little attention has been
paid to the mere washing of gravel or blasting of rocks in streams in
search for precious stones.
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