Passes on a report he has received about the vein of silver ore in Alva and gives advice on conducting the inspection

<269r>

Sir

I thank you for the description you gave me of your proceedings & of the form of the vein of silver ore. By the description which I have lately met with it is not a round vein like the body of a tree but a broad flat vein like the leafe of a Table. It is about four five or six inches thick for the thickness varies. It is covered over on either side with a crust of spar about six inches thick. The spar is mixed with some Ore, but the Ore in the middle between the two crusts of spar is the richest & the whole thickness of the Ore & spar together is about 17 or 18 inches. This broad vein runs both downwards from the bottom of the levell & also northwards from the further end of the levell proceeding both downwards & northwards into the mountain like a wall rising up from the foundations of the mountain almost to the top of it & running cross the mountain from north to south. I send you this description that you may examin it. And if it be true, you will find the vein of Ore not only at the bottom of the levell under the shaft but also at the further end of the Levell, rising up from the bottom of the Levell to a considerable height at the northern side of the Mine. This account I had from one who has seen the place. And I send it to you that if all the rubbish be not carried out of the Levell, you may cause it to be carried out till you come to the firm rock at the further end of it & there observe if you can find any signes of the vein running northwards into the Mountain For its possible that James Hamilton might there see two pieces of this vein & take them for two veins running upon a levell north & south. I am told that they began to dig the Ore at the bottom of the Levell & so dug it upwards letting it drop down into the Level as fast as they broke it off from the rock. And therefore its probable that some part of the vein may be found above the bottom of the Levell at that end thereof next the mountain. If upon searching, you & Mr Hamilton make any new discovery, you need not give my Lord Lauderdale & Mr Drummond any trouble about this particular but only acquaint Mr Haddon of Gleneagles there with if he is at his house during these Holydays, & send me an account thereof as soon as you can.