'Extract of a Memorial from Sr John Areskine [Erskine, the proprietor of the land on which the mine was discovered] to the Lord Vict Townshend'
Extract of a Memorial from Sir John Areskine to the Lord Vict. Townshend.
[1] That in the Month of December One of these Miners made a Second Search for Mettals in the Mountains to the Westward of Your Memorialist's house, and about Christmass found (what he called) a thread of Ore lying South and North, and with difficulty digged a small Quantity thereof, this Ore was tryed by sundry Persons, who made very different Reports concerning the Same only they seemed to agree that it was Metal and worth the refining, so as it could easily be come at.
[2] During the rest of the Winter the Miner and one more were picking such Small pieces of that thread of Ore as the Hardness of the Rocks in which it lay would allow them. [3]Till about the Month of Aprill your Memorialist sett two Men more to Work to digg up what they could of this Ore about which time they found great variety of Ores, some Rich in silver, some Copper and some they Could make no Iudgement of, neither give any Name to, never being able to reduce it to any kind of Mettal. The differs continued at this Work some Weeks till the Ore began to be scarce and that with the Hardness of the Rocks, and great Charge made your Memorialist give over Working in that place and sett the Workmen to another Vein (about [4]300 Paces farther in the Mountain) lying East and West, which had a very promising appearance, but after about Nine Weeks Work they Came to nothing like Metall and so gave it over.
That in Iuly your [5]Memorialist was perswaded to make a farther Tryall, where the Ore was found in April, and in some Weeks Work, the Vein appeared more promising but this happened a very little only before he Left his own House.
That Your Memorialist is informed,[6] the Miner and Diggers found the same variety of ore as formerly and that such parts of the Ore, as most resembled what upon former Tryals was found best, was melted down, the rest whether Ore or resembling Ore without Tryal or distinction was put in Casks and hid near to the House where Your Memorialist believes it still lys.
That at least the Vein became so small and the Ore so Scarce,[7] that the Working of it was given over about the End of February last, and the pitts which led to it filld up with Earth and Stones.
Your Memorialist has
made out this Account in obedience to your Lordships orders with all the Exactness he possibly could, so far as it fell under his own immediate knowledge, and what happened since Sept. 1715 he gives upon information from second hands, and shall be ready to obey what farther Commands Your Lordship shall please to give him
John Areskine
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