I
of a clear shining whiteness, resembling fibres of
the finest silk.
In the building above alluded to there are also
a few troughs in which the fragments of the ore are
washed clean. It is then sent to Roraas, where it
is piled m heaps and submitted to the process of
burning or roasting, in order to drive off the sulphur
which abounds in the ore; and the heaps are usually
covered with the smallest fragments of the ore, to
keep in the heat and prevent the flames from bursting
out, which indeed they would hardly do, as very
little wood is necessary, and the sulphur smothers
away as it burns. When sufficiently roasted and the
sulphur expelled, it is then passed into the smelt-
ing-furnaces, and the metal run out into circular
cakes, in which form it is transported, first to Tronyem,
and from thence sent to Sweden and to Holland,
and of late years to Italy. No other works,
except the breaking and washing of the ore, the
latter principally done by boys, are performed at
the mines above-ground. The busy process is
below; that of blasting was the same as it is everywhere
else ; the noise produced reminded me of a
loud clap of thunder, particularly so as it gradually
became fainter and fainter, till it died away
like the cloudy groan
O f dying thunder on the distant wind.”
So violent was the concussion of the air, that its
vibration on the ear made it seem as if the mountain
itself actually shook. On entering the mine
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f,
we were preceded by men carrying torches, made
of bundles of deal splinters, to give light to the
cavernous passages. This was the more necessary,
as these subterranean streets branched out in every
direction, reminding me strongly of the labyrinth
of passages in the catacombs at Paris, which I once
took an opportunity of visiting, but which are now
no longer open to the public, in consequence, it was
said, of the repeated accidents which occurred of
people losing themselves.
The foreman showed me a map or plan on
which the mine had been worked, and which resembled
the streets of a town ; the lines are mostly on
the same level, owing to the veins of the ore being
found to run nearly horizontal, with very little dip.
These different streets or chambers hear the names
of the different parties to whom the concern belongs,
the produce of the mine being divided among a company
of shareholders, and the total number of shai’es
being about seventy. One of the caverns, in compliment
to the King of Sweden, is called Carl Jean,
and another bears the title of Oscar, two names
given in commemoration of these two royal personages
having visited the mine in the year 1818.
On this occasion, it seems, a great part of the mine
was splendidly illuminated with variegated lamps,
and a military band stationed to play in some part
of the interior. At a short distance from the entrance
of the adit there was a small hole through
the roof to the surface, which not only admitted