CHAP.

X.

which the

deposited.

to these inequalities tends to soften them, and to expedite the fall of the ore. The fires which are thus kindled every Saturday, are under the strictest regulations: the exact quantity of wood that shall be consumed is duly specified, and, moreover, the precise portion of the rocks to which the several fires are to be applied. We were four hours diligently employed in the examination of the principal excavations. To go over the whole of the Fahlun mine, would, as Mr. Gahn assured us, require a fortnight. Before we endeavour to make the Reader further acquainted with what we saw, it will be therefore proper to give a general description of this vast bed of copper-ore, and of the manner in which it has hitherto been excavated.

The mine of Fahlun is an enormous crater, shaped like a sugar-loaf, with its point downManner in wards; the same shape having been that of the ore is found natural deposit of the pyritous copper here found. The base of this enormous conical mass of ore, lying upwards towards the surface, was the first part worked. As the galleries for its excavation were necessarily extensive, and the props for supporting the roofs of the different chambers, consisting often of valuable ore, were of course left as sparingly as possible, it happened, from the avidity and carelessness of the workmen,

X.

Accident

which

present

that there was not enough left to sustain the CHAP. pressure of the superincumbent matter towards the surface; and consequently, in the year 1666, the whole of the upper part of the mine, that is caused the to say, of the base of the inverted cone, fell in, Crater. and gave rise to the open crater we are now describing'. The sides of this crater being variously coloured by the exhalations from the mine and the action of the air upon its sides, added to the volumes of smoke and vapour rising from the bottom, give it the resemblance of the Neapolitan solfaterra: but the depth of the Fahlun crater is much more considerable; there is more of vastness in all that belongs to it; and the singular appearance caused by regular staircases, traversing its whole extent, from the lip of this immense bason to its lowermost point at the bottom, renders it altogether a sight in which we may vainly seek for points of similitude, in order to compare it with other works. At the bottom of this crater, at the depth of forty fathoms from the surface, various openings lead to the different levels and places of further descent into the mine; which, according to the notion prevalent among the miners, were origi

(1) See A. of the Vignette to this Chapter.

X.

CHAP. nally opened in immemorial ages'. It would be very curious, certainly, if it were possible, to

(1) Ogerius, who was also conducted, during his visit to this mine, by the Gahn of his day, has left us, in his Ephemerides, a lively picture of the impressions made upon his mind by the extraordinary nature of the spectacle. His work, according to Du Fresnoy, is rare; but it is not possible to insert the whole even of the racy description he gives of his descent into the Fahlun mine: the following extract will however serve to shew the manner in which he introduces it; proving, beyond all doubt, that it was written by an Αὐτόπτης.

"Ipse provinciæ Præfectus et præcipui municipes ad fodinam nos duxerunt. Obstupuimus profectò, statim atque ad os præcipitii appulimus. O qualis facies, et quali digna tabella! Patet ingens terræ hiatus latissimus, profundissimus, quem in circuitum repagula lignea ambiunt, ne temerè quisquam ad marginem fossæ accedat, aspectuque profunditatis tantæ terreatur, ac corruat. Licet tamen his repagulis innitaris, si oculos in imum demittas, continuò caligent, turbanturque: si illos tandem intenderis, videbis homines euntes redeuntesque ima in fossa; at illi avium, aut potius formicarum speciem, referunt, adeo pusilli apparent. Quocunque convertas oculos, contemplaris res tam miras ex sese, quàm inter se comparatas, ignes, glacies, splendorem, tenebras, permixta omnia: vetus illud esse Chaos diceres, adeo moles illa indigesta est, að indiscreta : si curiosiùs advertas, deprehendes illic omnis generis colores eris, ferri, chalcanthi, sive vitrioli, sulphuris ; PALLET HOC, VIRET ILLUD, RUBESCIT ALIUD, FLAVET ALTERUM: et ut alia Deorum arma, aut insignia in Æoliâ insulâ conflata et procusa sint, HîC CERTE FABRICATUS EST, ASSERVATURQUE IRIDIS ARCUS. Satiabantur avidè hoc spectaculo animi, oculique nostri; cum ecce tibi de repente quidam ex his operariis demittit se per funem, quo lapides, metallici trochleis, rotisque ab imâ fossâ in altum trahuntur: labi illum tam intrepidè, nou sine horrore conspeximus: cùmque illi inter labendum pileus excuteretur è capite, cubito illum retinuit, adeo id securè agunt."

"Ergo descendimus in fossam per excisos, abruptosque in rupe gradus, &c. &c. . . . Postquam ad ducentos profunditatis passus descendimus, putavimusque in imo esse, sustulimus in altum oculos, eosque qui superius in margine fossæ erant, quia hominibus esse sciebamus, bomines credidimus; cæterùm corvorum, aut cornicum species, nobis

antur." Caroli Ogerii Ephemerides, pp. 196, 197, 198. Lutet. Par.

CHAP.

X.

of the

ascertain in what period the works were begun; and with what nation the Swedes traded with their copper, after the mine became productive. Its original discovery is lost in obscurity and fable. The present inhabitants of Fahlun relate Tradition the old story common to many famous mines, Miners. about a buck caught in hunting, whose horns were covered with an ochreous incrustation; and, in support of this, they allege the most prevalent names of parts of the Fahlun mine, all having reference to this animal; as Buck's-hill ; the Buck's-shaft; the Buck's-horns; the Buck'shoof; &c. But a similar story is told at Röråås in Norway; and also in other places where there are mines.

From the small lodge, serving as a sentry, upon the brink of the crater now mentioned, and stationed upon the top of the uppermost flight of stairs, we began our descent into the mine. These stairs are formed by nailing bars of wood across inclined planes, which slope downwards; and are thus so contrived, as to prevent the feet of horses from slipping, in their passage up and down. The view in descending Appearthe platforms is very striking; the whole being descent. open to day-light, and the sides of the great crater being diversified, like those of Vesuvius after some of its eruptions, with a rich contrast

ance of the

CHAP. of beautiful colours'. Above the brink of the

X.

surrounding precipices are seen immense superstructures of scaffolding, and other timber, impending over the abyss, for the purpose of working the buckets in raising the ore; and, dispersed in different parts of the crater, and along the sides of the platforms, appear the little huts and chests of the miners; serving as repositories for their clothes and working implements. When we had reached the bottom, we were met by two of the overseers of the mine, who came with lighted torches to conduct us into the principal level. Having entered into this opening, we found, after proceeding to a short distance from the mouth of it, some labourers who were employed in widening the passage. This was effected by means of gunpowder; and the force of the explosions, for blasting the rocks, shook every thing that was near to us. We afterwards visited many other parts of the mine. Every passage has its peculiar Names of name; the level through which we entered being called Le bonnet rouge; another, The Jacobin; and a third, The Club of Hercules. The last, and deepest point of the work, towards the vertex

the differ

ent open

ings.

1) See the powerful description of this particular appearance, as given Ogerius, in the passage already cited from his Ephemerides.