336
INDIAN ISLANDS.
CHAP. XXVII.
vision is estimated to be about thirty-six thou-sand, of which about one fourth part are employedin procuring gold, and the remainder in variousbranches of trade and agriculture. They arealmost independent of the native chiefs, exceptthat they pay an annual tax or rent of fourthousaud Spanish dollars to the Rajah of Samboss,in whose territory the mines are. These minesare longitudinal excavations, following the courseof the mineral strata, and not exceeding sixteenfeet in depth. The auriferous earth which is takenout during about thirty or forty days is washed,and it is said that in that space of time twohundred labourers will obtain from two hundredand fifty to five hundred ounces of gold, ac-cording as the particular spot excavated is moreor less rich. The whole of the gold from thisdistrict has been estimated at eighty-eight oreighty-nine thousand ounces annually, and that ofthe whole island at about one hundred and twentythousand.
In Celebes the gold is all found in the beds ofthe rivers in the form of a coarse sand. The in-habitants, though good seamen, are deficient inindustry and skill, or at least direct them negli-gently when seeking for the precious metals. Thewhole amount of gold afforded is said not to ex-ceed ten thousand ounces, and that so mixed withmore impure substances as not to contain morethan eighteen carats to the ounce.