a ton and a half each. These wag- more aftonishing than that above, gons have caft brafs wheels, and are prefents itself; a place as horrible run in grooves through the adit, by to view, as imagination can conboys from 12 to 14 years of ceive. age, - On the paffage down, the with great facility. conftant blafting of the rocks, ten times louder than the loudeft thunder, feems to roll and shake the whole body of the mountain. When at the bottom, ftrangers are obliged to take shelter in a nitch cut in the rock, to avoid the effects of blasting the rocks, as the miners generally give a falute of half a dozen blafts, in quick fucceffion, by way of welcome to thofe diabolical manfions. When on the lodgment, you be hold a large hollow over your head, at least 250 yards high, by the fides of which there is a paffage to the fummit, but dangerous to attempt, as the timber-works feem in a de cayed state, Thus far into the mountain, with the aid of lights, it is eafy enough of accefs. The late duke of Devonshire ventured to this platform, took a curfory view of the works, gave the miners ten guineas to drink, but returned immediately, not choofing to defcend below. Indeed, fuch a horrid gloom, fuch rattling of waggons, noise of workmen boring of rocks under your feet, fuch explosions in blafting, and fuch a dreadful gulph to defcend, prefent a fcene of terror, that few people, who are not verfed in mining, care to pass through. From the platform the defcent is about 160 yards, through different lodgments, by ladders, lobs*, and crofs-pieces of timber let into the rock, to the place of action, where a new fcene, ten thousand times At the bottom of this amazing work, the monstrous cavern or vacuum above, the glimmering light of candles, and nafty fuffocating fmell of fulphur and gunpowder, all confpire to increase your furprize, and heighten your apprehenfions. This fingular mine, in its pcfition, fituation, and inclination, is different from any yet difcovered in Europe, Afia, Africa, or America. The wonderful mafs of copper ore with which the mountain is impregnated, runs not in regular veins, or courses; but finks perpendicular down, widening and fwelling out at the bottom, in form like a bellt. H 2 Sup Lobs, are steps that ascend and defcend within the mines, as stairs up and down from a chamber. + The principal copper, lead, and tin mines, in Cornwall and Devonshire, all direct in their courfes from the N. E. to the E. points, parallel to each other, inclining, or dipping to the N. or S. according to the fide of the hill where they are found. This inclination or dipping is fometimes one foot in fix, eight, ten, or twelve, in form of the roof of a houfe: and although thefe veins or courfes fometimes fly off in all directions, only as it were the ports of nature, they fall again at a little distance into their former stations. The fame is likewife obferved in other mines in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. The copper-mines in and near the Carpathian bills in Hungary, fuppofed to have been now worked at least 1100 years, extend under ground, in feveral places, ten, twelve, and fifteen English miles in length, employing generally 4000 miners under-ground, befides thofe of all ages and fexes above. Their Suppofe yourself now upwards of 200 fathoms deep in the bowels of a large mountain, in a great hollow of immenfe diameter; then fuppofe around you an impenetrable wall of lime-ftone rock, interfperfed with small veins of copperore, yellow, black, and fome brown, intermixt with fpar, marcafite, mundic, and other fulphureous compofitions, of all colours; and at the fame time figure to yourself the of footy complexions of the miners, their labour, and miferable way living in thofe fubterraneous regions, and you will then be apt to fancy yourself in another world. Yet thefe inhabitants, being trained up in darkness and slavery, are not perhaps lefs happy, or lefs contented, than those who poffefs the more flattering enjoyments of light and liberty *. Hence the wisdom of providence is confpicuous, which, as veins, or courfes, all direct from the N. to the E. point, inclining or dipping generally one foot in ten, fome more, fome lefs. Some of these mines are from 300 to 400 fathoms deep; the shafts are all timbered with great square logs of pine, laid or upon another, and pinned together with oak trunels; this method is fronger and more lafting than planking, which is usually done in fome mines in England. The filver mines at Freiberg in Saxony, upwards of 400 English fathom deep, fuppofed to have been difcovered in the year 180, and continued ever fince, from whence immenfe quantities of filver have been gotten, extend to a great length under ground, for many miles, in the direction from the N. to the E. points, at different times flying off and a-crofs, from N. W. to W. S. W. and back to the S. E. but foon return to their former station, inclining, or dipping, to the N. then perpendicular for a few fathoms, till they jet off again to their natural floping pofition. In thofe famous mines of filver, copper, lead and tin, which are in fach plenty, and from whence fnch incredible quantities of filver have, and fill are, imported from the vast empires of Chili and Peru in New Spain, or South America, which extend above forty degrees of fouth latitude; in all those mines which have been formerly wrought by the antient Indians, or discovered and continued by the Spaniards, the principal veins run from east northerly, to weft foutherly, and in the northern part of the mountains, dip, or incline to the north; thofe that are on the fouthern fide of the mountains, dip, or incline to the fouth, after a floping pofition, and keep the fame directions. These are alway esteemed by the most judicious and fenfible Spanish miners, as the richest and most valuable mines; whilft the others, which are fometimes found to jet off, or cross the grand courfes, are scarce worth labour. The more inclinable to the northward of the east, fo much more valuable do they turn out in working. Many other inftances might be produced to prove the general pofition of mines different from this at Ecton which we are now defcribing, which is the more wonderful and furprifing. * It is fuppofed there are no less than 40,000 working miners daily underground in the tin mines in Cornwall; and perhaps as many, if not more, in other works of copper, lead, and coal, in Great Britain. They reckon above 300,000 miners in Sweden, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Carinthia, Carniola, and other parts of Europe. And if we add the many thousands employed in the various mines in South America, Indians, negroes, and white criminals, who are doomed to eternal darkness below, over and above thofe employed above-ground, we may modeftly admit fome millions of fouls, whose bread depends on this laborious employment, and where many thousands live and die without ever feeing the light of the fun. as Pope fays, has placed happiness no where to be had, or every where.· There is no timber made use of, except for lodgments, or platforms, ladders, or steps fet into the rocks, for afcending or defcending into the mine; neither is there any quantity of water to retard the works, notwithstanding it is at leaft 150 yards below the bed of the river: four horfes, fix hours each at a common wem or engine, are fufficient to keep the mine clear. The timber-works about the mine are very ill contrived, and worfe executed. In defcending from the principal lodgment you pafs thirty ladders, fome half broken, others not half ftaved; in fome places by half-cut noches, or steps in the rock; in others you must almost flide on your breech, and often in imminent danger of tumbling topfy-turvy into the mine; nor are the fhores which support the lodgment below in better condition. Notwithstanding the great depth of this mine, (which is the deepest in Great Britain) a little expence, judiciously applied, would render the approaches to the lowermoft part, eafy to the miners; but however troublesome the defcent may be, above fixty ftout, well-made fellows, work here night and day, fix hours at a time, for one fhilling each man; and although the major part work naked, (a pair of coarfe canvas drawers excepted) they are as merry and jovial a fet of mortals, as ever inhabited fuch infernal abodes. So much for the internal parts; we now come to the methods of dreffing, cleanfing, and fitting the ore for fale. The ore, as before obferved, when conveyed out by the boys, is thrown together in a heap, and two men with large hammers, or fledges, are employed to break it into fmall pieces. This done, it is carried in fmall hand-barrows, by little boys, to a place under a fhed, erected on purpose, to be picked and forted, and is then laid by in different parcels, beft, fecond, and worst this operation is performed. by little girls from eight to twelve years of age, who are furprizingly quick at the work, feparating the various kinds with aftonishing dexterity. From this place, the ore is carried to another large and convenient fhed, where about fifty women fit back to back, on benches, to buck or beat it with flat hammers ftill keeping every particular fort feparate from each other. The ore, now reduced to a small fand, is again removed to the buddles, for washing, where an old experienced Cornish man has the superintendency of it, as a great deal of the fineft ore would be loft, if this operatiou is not properly performed. Here then it is curioufly cleanfed and washed, and afterwards expofed for fale in the open air, in various heaps, ticketed according to the different qualities and quantities. When all is ready, notice is given to the smelting-houfes, whofe proprietors, or managers attend, and each bids what price he thinks proper, (generally from 71. to 161. per ton) the highest bidder being the buyer; H 3 it Ticketing the ore is taking a couple of handfuls off a heap of ore promifcuously, and putting them into canvas bags by way of tample; then little labels are fixed to the bags, fignifying the quality of each parcel. it is then fetched away at the buyer's expence. The refufe part of the ore, which is not fit for fale, is beat down small, and carried to the smelting-house on the premises, erected by his Grace, and there run into a regulus, in large pigs or bars, and is then fold from 70l, to gol. per ton. Upon the whole, nothing is loft. The great advantage to the country round, arifes from the number of hands employed, and the circulation of between three and four thousand pounds in cafh annually, in a place poor and thinly inhabited before this mine was difcovered, but now quite improved, and more than 300 men, women, and children, employed winter and fummer, who have proper overfeers for every department, where every thing goes on with the utmoft harmony and chearfulness. * The miners, as befere hinted, work at two-pence per hour, fix hours at a time; women, by task, earn from four-pence to eight-pence a day, and are paid by measure, according to the quantity of ore they can buck girls and boys, from two-pence to four-pence a day, fome more: thus there is a conftant employment for both fexes, and all ages, from five to fixty years old. The carpenter's fhop, the fmith's forge, the cooperage, with the neat dwelling-houfes of the fuperintendants, little kitchengardens and out-houfes annexed, are all fingular in their kind, and happily adapted to make life agreeable in that folitary place, which lies between two monftrous hills, feparated at least two miles from any other inhabitants. This copper-mine, in the ftaté above defcribed, clears annually between 8 and 10,000l. and if worked with that fpirit which usually accompanies large returns, double that fum might be made of it; but his grace, it feems, is content that it employs all the labouring poor, who prefent themfelves for work from the neighbouring parishes. the On the oppofite fide of Ecton-Hill is a lead mine, which is likely to turn out to great advantage; veins of lead approaching very near to the copper; and they are driving in an adit, parallel to the other. Thus have I given a faint idea of this valuable copper-mine; a perfect defcription, I am fenfible, would require a much abler hand. A draught, fection, and perspective view of its internal parts are much wanted, things conftantly supplied by the ingenious Germans and Hungarians, who delineate to a proper fcale, every fhaft, ftade, groove, and courfe of the veins throughout the mine; together with a defcription and narrative of their discoveries, the appearances, and various ftratas cut through in finking down, and in driving their adits. This method would, I muft own, ferve as a future guide to other discoveries, and a faving of large fums to mine-adventurers, many of whom expend confiderable fortunes, without the leaft rational fign or companion to minerals, being led (through a miftaken zeal) into airy fchemes of that nature, by the over-perfuafion of ignorant, yet cunning, and defigning men. WILLIAM EFFORD. *To buck, or buckwork the ore, is a technical term among miners, for beating or reducing the ore to a fall fand; fometimes when the ore is very rich, it is only broken into pieces about the bignefs of a nutmeg; but poor ore is broken fmall, with flat hammers, or under itamping mills, erected on purpose, when there is a convenience of water. Curious remarks on the different degrees of heat imbibed from the Jun's rays, by cloths of different colours. From Dr. Franklin's experiments and obfervations on electricity, &c. FIR IRST, let mé mention an experiment you may easily make yourfelf. Walk but a quarter of an hour in your garden when the fun fhines, with a part of your drefs white, and a part black; then apply your hand to them alternately, and you will find a very great difference in their warmth. The black will be quite hot to the touch, the white ftill cool. Another. Try to fire paper with a burning glass. If it is white, you will not easily burn it; .but if you bring the focus to a black spot, or upon letters, written or printed, the paper will immediately be on fire under the letters. Thus fullers and dyers find black cloths, of equal thickness with white ones, and hung out equally wet, dry in the fun much fooner than the white, being more readily heated by the fun's rays. It is the fame before a fire; the heat of which fooner penetrates black ftockings than white ones, and is fo apt fooner tó burn a man's fhins: Alfo beer much fooner warms in a black mug fet before the fire, than in a white one, or in a bright filver tankard. My experiment was this: I took a number of little fquare pieces of broad cloth from a taylor's pattern card, of various colours. There were black, deep blue, lighter blue, green, purple, red, yellow, white, and other colours, or fhades of colours. I laid them all out upon the fnow in a bright funfhiny morning. In a few hours (I cannot now be exact as to the time) the black being warmed most by the fun, was funk fo low as to be below the ftroke of the fun's rays: the dark blue almost as low, the lighter blue not quite fo much as the dark, the other colours lefs as they were lighter; and the quite white remained on the furface of the snow, not having entered it at all. What fignifies philofophy that does not apply to some use? May we not learn from hence, that black cloths are not fo fit to wear in a hot funny climate, or season, as white ones; because, in fuch cloths the body is more heated by the fun when we walk abroad, and are at the fame time heated by the exercise, which double heat is apt to bring on putrid dangerous fevers ? That foldiers and feamen, who must march and labour in the fun, fhould, in the Eaft or Weft-Indies, have an uniform of white? That fummer hats, for men or women, fhould be white, as repelling that heat which gives head-achs to many, and to fome, the fatal ftroke that the French call the coup de foleil? That the ladies fummer hats, however, fhould be lined with black, as not reverberating on their faces thofe rays which are reflected upwards from the earth or water? That the putting a white cap of paper, or linen, within the crown of a black hat, as fome do, will not keep out the heat, though it would if placed without. That fruit walls being blacked may receive fo much heat from the fun in the day-time, as to continue warm, in fome degree, through the night, and thereby preferve the fruit from frofts, or forward its growth? With fundry other particulars of lefs or greater importance that will occur, from time to time, to attentive minds? H 4 The |