On our return from Carn Galva we may visit Ding-Dong. The works of
Ding-Dong both “at grass” and under ground, are very near our road to
Carn Galva, and much of the former visible nearly all the way from
Men-scryfa. It is one of the most ancient and extensive mines in the
County. There are traditions (if not more trustworthy records) that
part of this old bal, called by a somewhat similar name (Din-an-doyng,
if I remember rightly), and other ancient workings known as Wheal
Malkin, which are now united to Ding-Dong, were wrought by the Jews in
the time of King John.
Little more than half a century ago, Wheal Malkin portion of this rich
old mine was solely in the hands of four or five adventurers. All of
them, but one, held large shares in Ding-Dong. They wished the two
speculations to be united, as they might, it was thought, be thus
worked to greater advantage. But Mr. Hosking, of Lanyon, the only one
of the owners of Wheal Malkin who had no share in Ding-Dong, being
averse to this arrangement, his co-adventurers proposed that he should
either sell his share, or buy theirs. Mr. Hosking became the purchaser
of the whole of Wheal Malkin. Some say that a device, sometimes
resorted to in similar transactions, was put in practice by a working
miner, to induce him to close with the dear bargain. However that may
have been, it is well known that he continued to work this property
more to benefit the public than himself.
This worthy gentleman was generally known as Captain Hosking, from
having been for many years captain of the Mount’s Bay Yeomanry Cavalry,
or the Guides, as they were often styled, but his most popular
designation in the part we are now rambling over was the Pusser
(purser) Hosking; and this latter title seems likely to be long
preserved, as well as some remembrance of the “Pusser’s” moils, in one
of our odd every-day sayings.
After Mr. Hosking built the sturdy-looking house we still see in
Lenine, he resided there for some years, and held the farm in hand. For
the purpose of taking his tin to smelting house, the captain kept a
great number of mules (here called moils) on the extensive
furze-grounds of Lanyon. Some of the tinners, in passing over the
downs, to and from their work, often tried to get a ride on the
“Pusser’s moils” and others, for fun’s sake or out of pure wantonness,
took great pleasure in tormenting these sedate-looking animals; but the
Pusser’s moils, to show how they disapproved of practical joking, often
imprinted the marks of their hoofs and teeth on their tormentors; and,
at last, they, one and all, took to give chase to every person who
ventured on their ground, except, indeed, the boys who brought them out
straw or hay, now and then, in winter, and their well-known driver, Mr.
Hosking’s Ralfey, who was as fond of the moils, and they of him, as if
they had been brothers.
If one only pointed a finger, in derision, at these testy animals, and
called them by their names, in a tone which they didn’t like, when they
were filing along the lanes with sacks of tin on their backs, they
would at once leave their ranks and show fight in spite of all Ralfey
could do to soothe them. From these mulish traits of inordinate
self-esteem and combativeness in Mr. Hosking’s cattle originated the
common saying, often applied to a teasy person, “He’s like Pusser
Hosking’s moils—waant bear jestan.”
Near Ding-Dong there are some ancient barrows, and the remains of what
is supposed to have been a Druidic circle called the Nine Maidens.