On the corundum stone from Asia / [Charles Francis Greville].

  • Charles Francis Greville
Date:
[1798]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the corundum stone from Asia / [Charles Francis Greville]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    “ depend on to Permetty, with one of these people, who, on “ his arrival there, probably through fear of his cast, said he “ knew no farther. My servant persevered, and informed me “ he had found the place I wished to see. “ I arrived at Permetty, by the route of Namcul, the 6th; “ and, learning that the distance to the spot wras about 3^ hours “or 14 miles, I left Permetty in time to arrive there about “ sunrise the next morning. At this time no person but my “ servant was present, and, from a continued excavation at “ different depths, from 6 to 16 feet, in appearance like a wa- “ ter-course, running in length about a mile and a half east “ and west, over the brow of a very rising ground, I saw at “ once the place from which the stone was procured. The “ prodigious extent that at different times appears to have been “ dug up, with the few people employed, shews that it has been ee a business of ages. “ The ground through which the vein of excavation runs, “ and of course the mineral, commands one of the finest and “ most extensive prospects it is possible to conceive. The sur- “ face of the ground is covered with innumerable fine alabaster “ stones, and a variety of small shrubs, but not a tree sufficient “ to shelter my palanquin. “ There is not the appearance of an habitation within three “ quarters of a mile. The nearest village is called Condrastra “ Pollam. In this village are about 30 small thatched houses : “ among these are 5 families, who, in descent by prescriptive “ right, are the miners, and dig in the pits. The nearest place “ of any consequence, in Rennell’s Map, is Caranel, on the “ south side the Cavery. The distance of the pits from the “ river is above 4 miles; but the ground between prevent its
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