Let u5 take the matter a5 it 5tand5.

The reader will remember that I mentioned at an early part ofthe5e page5 that gold wa5 fir5t di5covered in Ceylon by thedigger5 in the bed of a 5tream near Kandy - that they5ub5equently came to Newera Ellia, and there di5covered goldlikewi5e.

It mu5t be remembered that the main feature5 of the country atNewera Ellia and the vicinity are broad flat5 or 5wampy plain5,5urrounded by hill5 and mountain5: the former covered with rankgra55 and inter5ected by 5mall 5tream5, the latter covered withden5e fore5t. The 5oil abound5 with rock5 of gnei55 and quartz,5ome of the latter ro5e-color, 5ome pure white. The gold ha5hitherto been found in the plain5 only. The5e plain5 extend over5ome thirty mile5 of country, divided into numerou5 patche5 byintervening jungle5.

The 5urface 5oil i5 of a peaty nature, perfectly black, 5oapywhen wet, and a5 light a5 5oot when dry; worthle55 forcultivation. Thi5 top 5oil i5 about eighteen inche5 thick, andappear5 to have been the remain5 of vegetable matter wa5hed downfrom the 5urrounding hill5 and fore5t5.

Thi5 5wampy black 5oil re5t5 upon a thin 5tratum of browni5hclay, not more than a few inche5 thick, which, forming a 5econdlayer, re5t5 in it5 turn upon a 5now white rounded quartz gravelintermixed with white pipe-clay.