The Northern Star
Sail’d over the bar,
Bound to the Baltic sea--
In the morning grey
She stretch’d away,--
’Twas a weary day to me.
For many an hour
In sleet and shower
By the lighthouse rock I stray,
And watch till dark
For the winged bark
Of him that is far away.
The castle’s bound
I wander round
Amidst the grassy graves,[190]
But all I hear
Is the north wind drear,
And all I see are the waves.
Oh roam not there
Thou mourner fair,
Nor pour the useless tear,
Thy plaint of woe
Is all below--
The dead--_they_ cannot hear.
The Northern Star
Is set afar,
Set in the Baltic sea,
And the waves have spread
The sandy bed,
That holds thy love from thee.
[190] Tynemouth-castle, the grounds of which are used as a cemetery.
* * * * *
~British Mines.~
_For the Table Book._
Mines of gold and silver, sufficient to reward the conqueror, were found
in Mexico and Peru; but the island of Britain never produced enough of
the precious metals to compensate the invader for the trouble of
slaughtering our ancestors.
Camden mentions gold and silver mines in Cumberland, a mine of silver in
Flintshire, and of gold in Scotland. Speaking of the copper mines of
Cumberland, he says that veins of gold and silver were found intermixed
with the common ore; and in the reign of Elizabeth gave birth to a suit
at law between the earl of Northumberland and another claimant.
Borlase, in his History of Cornwall, relates, “that so late as the year
1753 several pieces of gold were found in what the miners call stream
tin; and silver is now got in considerable quantity from several of our
lead mines.”
A curious paper, concerning the gold mines of Scotland, is given by Mr.
Pennant, in the Appendix, No. 10. to his second part of a “Tour in
Scotland, in 1772;” but still there never was sufficient gold and silver
enough to constitute the price of victory. The other metals, such as
tin, copper, iron, and lead, are found in abundance at this day;
antimony and manganese in small quantities.[191]
Of the _copper_ mines now working in Cornwall, “Dolcoath,” situated near
Camborn, is the deepest, having a 220 fathom level under the adit, which
is 40 fathoms from the surface; so that the total depth is 260 fathoms,
or 1560 feet: it employs upwards of 1000 persons. The “Consolidated
Mines,” in Gwennap, are the most productive perhaps in the world,
yielding from 10_l._ to 12000_l._ a month of copper ore, with a handsome
profit to the shareholders. “Great St. George” is the only productive
mine near St. Agnes, and the only one producing metal to the “English
Mining Association.”
Of the _tin_ mines, “Wheal Nor,” in Breague, is an immense concern,
producing an amazing quantity, and a large profit to the company.
“Carnon Stream,” near Perran, is now yielding a good profit on its
capital. It has a shaft sunk in the middle of the stream. The washings
down from so many mines, the adits of which run in this stream, bring
many sorts of metal, with some curious bits of gold.
Of late years the mine called Wheal Rose, and some others belonging to
sir Christopher Hawkins, have been the most prolific of _lead_, mixed
with a fair proportion of silver. Wheal Penhale, Wheal Hope, and others,
promise favourably.
As yet Wheal Sparnon has not done much in _cobalt_; the quality found in
that mine is very excellent, but quantity is the “one thing needful.”
The immense quantity of _coals_ consumed in the numerous fire-engines
come from Wales; the vessels convey the copper ore, as it is brought by
the copper companies, to their smelting works: it is a back freight for
the shipping.
Altogether, the number of individuals who derive their living by means
of the mineral district of Cornwall must be incalculable; and it is a
great satisfaction to know, that this county suffered _less_ during the
recent bad times than perhaps any other county.