The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-23
AWAY UNDER THE SEA.
The Grent Botnllnck Mine. of Cornwall
England.

The Srent BOtnilnck Mine. Of Cornwall
England.
The mines of Cornwall, England, are,
of historic interest. Centuries ago
traffic in rich ores here found was car
ricd on by PhTnicians, Greeks, and Ro-
mans. The mining district of St. Just,
extending along the western coast Of
Lands End for three or four miles, is q
spot utterly barren in all else save this,
magnificent outstrctch of hidden treas
ure. Tho scenery, it is said, can hardly
be exceeded for "a stern ana solemn
wildness," especially as one draws near
the huge Botallack cliffs, the only re-
deeming feature of the place being q
broad and beautiful outlook over the.
English Channel.
One who has visited these famous
chambers Of wealth tells us that on a
shore exposed to the full fury of the
ocean, and among the steep granite
cliffs, towering to a height of more than
sixty feet above the water, lies this
treasury of reserved riches. the most
wonderful probably In the world.
Furthermore, he adds, that looking
up from the sea upon the very summit
of the craggy cliff, one may catch
glinpscs Of various apparatus almost
overhanging the restless waters.
Gloomy precipiccs of slate and granite,
having for ages deficd old oceans.
waves, are cut into winding pathways,
broken up by mining tools. and dotted
with all manner of complicated machin-
cry.
Smoking chimncys and putting en-
gincs indicate q hidden power, chains
and pullcys lead to unknown depths.
On one side of the cliffs tall ladders en-
able the miners to ascend; it is certain
death to the poor fellows trcading
round by round unless they have q
strong head and sure foot, for the roar
ing sea is beneath.
Near the foot of one of these lofty
juttlng cliffs is the entrance to the
famous Botallack Mine; no easy matter
Is 1T from the heights to gain wen the
mouth of the shaft, and to descend per-
pcndicularly into the dark abyss, hun
drcds Of feet below the level of the sea,
and horizontally, thousands of feet be-
meath the bottom Of the ocean, requires
great tirmness of nerve and power of
endurance.
The workings" of the Botallack
Mine have reached between one and two.
thousand feet below the ocean level,
and from the depths of the land CALLER
les have been carried out under the
depths of the sea not less than two
thousand three hundred feet. Marvel
lous submarine burrowing, where labor
crs. shut away from all sunshine in life,
toll in dark cavcrns under the rolling
ocean, digging mineral wealth from the
rocks above them, while waves dash in
storm-driven fury against their grim
prison walls.
Even in fine weather, the rattling of
pebbles, with the swell of the ocean,
can be heard in the cavcrns OF the mine
with greater distinctncss than on the
beach itself, and during heavy storms
the noise IS SO appalling that although
no real danger is app~rehendcd, a strange
terror crccps over the workmcn, chill
ing their very hearts.
Years ago rs miners were following
some small veins of tin scattered through
the rocks, they actually penetrated the
Atlantic Ocean: the hole was speedily
plugged up with the handle of a pick
axe, and up to the present time the
waters are kept out Of the mine by a
wooden wedge wound, with creased
oakum.
Close by that unfortunately opcnh
hole, where only a few feet of rocky
partition lie between the miners walk
and the bottom Of the ocean, q terrific
rumbling revcberates from gallery to
gallery, making strong hearts quake with
fear. Add to this the rolling of bowl
dcrs over each other on the bed Of the
sea, the thundcr-tonc Of their deep
solemn music penetrating ones very
soul, and one no longer marvels that
men spending their lives In such dismal
rccesses are scarcely ever known to
smile.
Saltwater ooZes through the granite
lodges, and. during tempests it is not
unusual to feel a continuous sprinkling
of sea-water. That plugged portion of
the roof is far richer in metallic ore than
any other section Of the mine. but net u
man among them would risk life by
cutting out another pound from the
vicinity of that dangerous aperture.