old
burrow, so covered is it with ragged and broken pieces of quartz,
stones of considerable weight to small pieces like pebbles, implying
the whole to have been carefully examined. Near Devalah, on the Adelphi
estate, nearly a similar system has been employed. The vein in the
latter slopes down near the surface in a hollow of the hill-side. Here
the natives seem also to have cut through the vein in the hollow, made
holes through fractures in the vein and turned in water, for their old
drifts and little shafts are still to be seen. Their most mining-like
working, however, are on what is probably the dip side of this vein on
the north-east side of this hollow over a small hill. It is at this
latter' point the deep shafts of the native workers are found. An
engineer and myself went down one of those 70 feet deep shafts.
The
natives seem to have understood the danger of taking out the vein at
the shaft bottom. They lift it entile at this point, and drove off in
the country ground, then cross-cutted to the vein again. We went into
this drift and cross-cutted a small distance, but further progress was
obstructed by fallen debris.
Another
native working which has attracted considerable notice is that of the
Skull Reef, and on the extension of which below another on working has
been driven the often-quoted Wright's Level. The vein at these places
is 12 to 15 ft. wide, and as the quartz is quite hard, the old workings
have not wholly collapsed, so that one is able to see the magnitude of
their mining operations.
Skull
workings referred to are also not unlike those shown, being simply a
hole cut through the vein. All along this outcrop small shafts are
numerous, indicating in their way considerable mining having been
wrought.
Still
extensive native workings should be understood. When compared with the
abandoned diggings of California they appear small; compared with the
ancient workings of Cornwall or those found in the lead districts in
the north of England, the Wynaad workings take only a minor place.
There
are many peculiarities here to which but little thought is given in
England or the United States, notably the labour and climatic
influences. Although it is said cooly labour may be obtained in
unlitmited quantities, there are times when its scarcity will act
detrimentally to mining industry. It may, perhaps, be taken as an axiom
that to mine successfully the labour and appliances must be efficient
and constant. At the present, labour is very scarce and not to be
obtained, it is said, for a few weeks yet. This exodus is said to be
due to feasts and the unhealthy condition of the Wynaad; still,
although many suffer from fever, European and native, there is a goodly
sprinkling of both classes who have thus far suffered no inconvenience
from climatic influences. It is, undoubtedly, a matter of considerable
importance, and will require serious thought. Those mines which the
newspapers say are about making immediate returns in gold must
seriously feel the want of labour. Indeed it is a question if Chinese
labour would not pay to introduce labour that would be constant for at
least one, two, or even three years' contract. One harassing feature
now is if a gang of coolies are taught to perform the work in hand, the
week following their places have to be filled by another gang.
Certainly this is a matter that will in time correct itself—relays of
coolies are constantly coming and going—still when the stopping out the
roofs of the drifts when large quantities of rock is being mined, it
will be necessary to have such labour, both European and native, who
understand their work. Appearances indicate that the ground will
require being efficiently and securely timbered, or the heavy rains
during a monsoon may result in »erious consequences to mining
development.
Devalah, Wynaad, April 20.
[The
difficulty about a steady and constant supply of labour felt in the
Wynaad curiously enough would not apply to Ceylon, and our climate is
also a safe one.—Compilers.]
