e lodes in several parts of the mine was very promising indeed, and
that some ground was returning a rich harvest for the labour that had
been bestowed on it; that in the 105, which was driving north by six
men, they had taken down the copper for fourteen fathoms long, nearly
the whole of which had turned out to be worth 100 pounds per fathom;
that a splice had been formed in the lode about two fathoms behind the
present end, which had disordered it, but he was glad to say it was
again improving, and was at that time about fifteen inches wide of rich
copper, and, as far as he could judge, they were going through to the
top part of the "bunch" of copper; that these facts, he thought, were
very satisfactory, but that it was still more gratifying to know that
the lode on the bottom of the 105 was far more valuable than that in the
back; that in the "Crowns," especially in the various levels under the
sea, the lodes were not only "promising," but performing great things,
two men and a boy (he referred to Maggot, Trevarrow, and Zackey here)
having broken an immense quantity of copper during the last quarter,
which was paying splendidly.

At this point, Mr Grenfell, who sat on Mr Cornish's right hand,
exclaimed, "Hear! hear!" and a little bald-headed man, with a red nose
and blue spectacles, near the foot of the table, echoed "Hear!" with
genuine enthusiasm (for he had been bordering on bankruptcy for some
months past), and swigged off a full glass of punch without winking.

Thus encouraged, Captain Dan went on to remark that there were six men
driving in Wheal Hazzard (which statement caused a "stranger" who
chanced to be at the dinner to observe, in an undertone, that he was not
aware they had horses or vehicles of any kind in the mines!), that one
cross-cut was also being driven, and three winzes were sinking, and one
rise--several of which were opening up tin of first-rate quality, while
in the Narrow shaft, Chicornish, Higher Mine, and Wheal Cock, a great
deal to the same effect was being done--all of which we leave to the
imagination of the reader, merely remarking that however
incomprehensible these things may appear to him (or her), they created
feelings of profound joy in the assembled guests, especially in the
breast of the almost bankrupt one with the bald, red, and blue
headpiece.

Mr Cornish afterwards congratulated the adventurers on the success of
the mine, and the splendid prospects which were opening up to