uncommonly poor. Many years later trial was made of a vein running close
to that settlement; but the returns not being adequate to the expense it
was let to farm, and in a few years fell into such low repute as to be at
length disposed of by public auction at a rent of two Spanish dollars.**
The English company, also having intelligence of a mine said to be
discovered near Fort Marlborough, gave orders for its being worked; but
if it ever existed no trace now remains.

(*Footnote. Ost-Indische Reise-beschreibung oder Diarium. Leipzig 1690
octavo. See also J.W. Vogel's Ost-Indianische Reise-beschreibung.
Altenburg 1704 octavo.)

(**Footnote. The following is an extract of a letter from Mr. James
Moore, a servant of the Company, dated from Padang in 1778. "They have
lately opened a vein of gold in the country inland of this place, from
which the governor at one time received a hundred and fifty tials (two
hundred ounces). He has procured a map to be made of a particular part of
the gold country, which points out the different places where they work
for it; and also the situation of twenty-one Malay forts, all inhabited
and in repair. These districts are extremely populous compared to the
more southern part of the island. They collect and export annually to
Batavia about two thousand five hundred tials of gold from this place:
the quantity never exceeds three thousand tials nor falls short of two
thousand." This refers to the public export on the Company's account,
which agrees with what is stated in the Batavian Transactions. "In een
goed Jaar geeven de Tigablas cottas omtrent 3000 Thail, zynde 6 Thail een
Mark, dus omtrent 500 Mark Goud, van 't gchalte van 19 tot 20 carat.")

Before the gold dust is weighed for sale, in order to cleanse it from all
impurities and heterogeneous mixtures, whether natural or fraudulent,
(such as filings of copper or of iron) a skilful person is employed who,
by the sharpness of his eye and long practice, is able to effect this to
a surprising degree of nicety. The dust is spread out on a kind of wooden
platter, and the base particles (lanchong) are touched out from the mass
and put aside one by one with an instrument, if such it may be termed,
made of cotton cloth rolled up to a point. If the honesty of these
gold-cleaners can be depended upon their dexterity is almost infallible;
and as some check upon the former it is usual to pour the contents of
each parcel when thus cleansed into a ve