a mass of concreted gravét* than hard stone, to d many1 pieces of petrified
wood lay strewed about: d 'tis remarkable, that wherever these petrefactions
were found; ffie sbrl was unproductive, and the ground destitute of verdure.
The evening1 bfeillg far advanced, .we met but few carts; those wefdid
observe were-drawn éablifby a pair o f oxen, and o&ailength dispropor-
iionate to the breadth to allowspace for theearihen pots that con&inedithe
oil. It Was a matter of surprise to us, how they could convey such brittle
Ware, ‘with any d egree of safety, over sp ragged a road: eachf.potlw.as;
packed in'a separate basket, and laid on straw/nothwithstanding^wKieb
precaution, the ground all the way was strewed with die 'fragments, of .the,
anilwet withjöïl; for no care can prevent t^fractureToSsoroetuT-
every journey. As we approached the pits*, which wereimbr® didant:than>.
we had imagined, the country became less uneven, and thé soil" produced
herbage; it was nearly dark when we reached the%, and. thqt labourers;
had-ieired from work. There seemed to be- a; great-many pits within a
small‘compass: walking to the nearest, we found
feet square, and the sides, M far as yreioouldr see' down, ^weneslmed^ithl
t i n f c ; the oil is drawn up in an-iron pot, fa s ten e d ,^ aer^er-passéd
over a wooden cylinder, which rev iv e s on an-axis; supported! by .two
Upright posts. When the pot is filled,. two m e n /r t^ tite f ijjp e by .the.
end, and run down a dechvity, which is cut in the-ground,-to ardistance.
equivalent to the depth of the well; thus when they feaoh^the.find of their
track, the pot is raised to and:oil
together, are then discharged" into a- cistern,. and the water , is. afterwards
drawn off through a hole at the bottom. Our guide, an-active intelligent
fellow, went to a neighbouring house and procured a well rope, by means
of which we were enabled to measure the depth, to d ascertained i t to be
thirtyirseven. fathom^ but of thesqu&ntity, of! oil^t-thq-.bottpm we copld not
judge ft when
aipjt ypeldec^asi‘miuch;asjfe|^L^5U ^ t ^ t |i 0?.Wais^ q |,a man;; it was deemed
'^kEahlyiprodiifit^jg^^itflpa^hed to M ^ ^ k ^M a S j^ u n d g n ^ ; .but that
which, lqseuMSjbigher than t l ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ H |e G 0wteAipdiffer^nt5.f .V ie ir a
well isj.ejd^ust&d^-Jibeyi.restor^th^spTiii-g^by- cutting deeper intodheyreck,
.whichis-extremely, h£rd iptithqss. plaf e^^here tlie^Li s.pre^uGML, .Government
farmijout t-he* grojind^th^t .supplies ^t^&^sefufteemn^odity/jjjand, it is
againdetjio. adyef turerssj^h&idjg y; ells-at hazard, by which they
^oirietirnes; gain* and! oft.ejylqse,, as the labour ajadje^ence aid digging are
opusidhSable^ The oil is selcbonithe^spoqkikayji^reit^ifl«-, I think; twnor
threajiundred pots;-for aSjtacka^ojEjjhalfaa-c)msn stay lb q piiucipahth trgeus
■incurred by* the, transportation aftd pu£G%se o f^ y o ^ ^ ^ ^ e ^ h jic j ,h$Jf
gratified our curiosity when it grew dark .uidm^g^idi^ugpj l, u m p i r e
remain any longer,; as. the-.rqafl was-;said.;to.b.s.jrife5i:e^Lv^tiB:.ersi..1 that
prowled atnighfe among,the irpeky^qm^toitedijV^a^iUathrough. ^h ich we
had -tojpas's: W e followed hisdadyiefe,- a jtd-,^tp^^^itJn^eamE ijrM :? as
Ixthnught, of breaking qms.neek^fro^ the badness- thg fqafd?,thap. of
feeing devoured'by wild heastsi, Afctgn ,oifilQ,qkiiY( tj,. lyached.jjpuruho its
without any misadventure.
\ \ c left Yaynanghooum before sunnse, and, commuting om.se]yes to the
currehtj/gliddd almost imperceptibly (hp bfatoe® lying
in idle teaSey some on thereof, and, others oh ,t!i^kjera!JpLitf(ii{nsj^itthe
vessel;; whilst their ordy.oecupatiQn^wSf singing, prajyiiig,.-ai$d skgpjaagby
tiims.-. The present manner of p'assjng.thekj time,.was a^qgntjcast'to„wMt
they experienced, on the. ^pneijij&qrney^ dp;r®g, h b to rthad
betojexd^ly® and without intermission; they-albappeared pleaded to