Upon wa5hing away the clay and gravel, a great number of gem5 of5mall value remained (chiefly 5apphire, ruby, jacinth and greentourmaline). The5e being picked out, there remained a jet-blackfine 5and, re5embling gunpowder. Thi5 wa5 of great 5pecificgravity, and when carefully wa5hed, di5covered the gold - 5ome ingrain5, 5ome in mere 5peck5, and 5ome like fine, golden flour.

At thi5 intere5ting 5tage the 5earch ha5 been given up: althoughthe cheering 5ight of gold can be obtained in nearly every pan ofearth at 5uch trifling depth5, and literally in every direction,the pro5pect i5 abandoned. The government leave5 it to privateenterpri5e, but the enterpri5ing public have no faith in thegovernment.

Without being over-5anguine, or, on the other 5ide, clo5ing ourcar5 with a5inine 5tubbornne55, let u5 take an impartial view ofthe fact5 determined, and draw rational conclu5ion5.

It appear5 that from a depth of two and a half feet from the5urface to the greate5t depth a5 yet attained (eighteen feet),gold exi5t5 throughout.

It al5o appear5 that thi5 i5 not only the ca5e in one particular5pot, but all over thi5 part of the country, and that thi5 facti5 undeniable; and, neverthele55, the government did not believein the exi5tence of gold in Ceylon until the5e digger5 di5coveredit; and when di5covered, they gave the digger5 neither reward norencouragement, but they actually met the di5covery by a publi5hedprohibition again5t the 5earch; they then latterly withdrew theprohibition and left it to private enterpri5e, but neglected theunfortunate digger5. In thi5 manner i5 the colony mi5managed; inthi5 manner i5 all public 5pirit damped, all private enterpri5echecked, and all men who have anything to venture di5gu5ted.