About 240 years ago there was a shoal or rock out at sea 720 ft. from the beach at high water at Mount's Bay, Penzance. This rock was covered by the sea about 10 months in the year, and there was sometimes 19ft. of water upon it. And it was upon this rock that a poor miner of Breage—one Thomas Curtis— began mining in 1775. Altogether it was the most extraordinary attempt, and the " Wherry Mine," as it was called, was fully described in Mr. Watson's “Compendium of British Mining."
Veins of tin had been discovered in elvan course running front of Penzance, and to work them the old miner provided a water-tight case on the rock, against which the sea broke while he was sinking his shaft. A communication was made with the mine by means of a wooden frame. Three summers were consumed in sinking the shaft, and innumerable trials and difficulties had to be overcome. After about £600 worth of tin had been raised and the nature of the lode seen, a steam-engine was erected on the green opposite, and hanging-rods from it carried along the open bridge to the mine. In this way £70,000 worth of tin ore was raised, and then in the height of its prosperity the mine was destroyed by an American vessel, which broke from its anchorage in Gwavas Lake, and striking against the stage on the rock demolished it, and the machinery.
St. Michael's Mount, now surrounded by the sea, was formerly enclosed by a very thick wood, and called in Cornish " Caraclowse in Cowse " —the hoare rock in the wood. And it is supposed that by convulsion of Nature some 1000 years ago the submersion of the wood and adjoining land took place, and this may account for the veins of tin.
Veins of tin had been discovered in elvan course running front of Penzance, and to work them the old miner provided a water-tight case on the rock, against which the sea broke while he was sinking his shaft. A communication was made with the mine by means of a wooden frame. Three summers were consumed in sinking the shaft, and innumerable trials and difficulties had to be overcome. After about £600 worth of tin had been raised and the nature of the lode seen, a steam-engine was erected on the green opposite, and hanging-rods from it carried along the open bridge to the mine. In this way £70,000 worth of tin ore was raised, and then in the height of its prosperity the mine was destroyed by an American vessel, which broke from its anchorage in Gwavas Lake, and striking against the stage on the rock demolished it, and the machinery.
St. Michael's Mount, now surrounded by the sea, was formerly enclosed by a very thick wood, and called in Cornish " Caraclowse in Cowse " —the hoare rock in the wood. And it is supposed that by convulsion of Nature some 1000 years ago the submersion of the wood and adjoining land took place, and this may account for the veins of tin.
