Holograph copy of information given by James Hamilton on the mine at Alva and traces of silver and copper in the neighbourhood

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The mountain two miles beyond the frith, is barren with a very few starved trees upon it. Sir John Erskins house is on the hither side of the Mountain, Mr Haddons on the further or north side thereof. The silver mine is on the south side of the Mountain by a gutter which has been made in the side of the mountain by floods of water running down from the side of the mountain & wahing away the earth in long intervalls of time. It is on the west side of this channell neare the bottom of the mountain & on the west side of Sir Iohn's house, about five miles from Stirling & twelve from Perth, on the east side of the way between them & about two miles from Allway a seaport town & in the Parish of Allva.

The Mine is just opened, within about two fathom or 2$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ from the grass which grows on the surface of the earth. In it are two veins of ore running horizontally the one almost three foot above the other, the upper vein about 22 inches broad from top to bottom & about 18 inches wide, the other about 14 inches broad or deep & about the same wideness with the former. The colour of the Oar a darkish brown, but neare the edges of the vein of a whiter colour like spar with a darker colour of metallick ore intermixed. The dark coloured Ore in the middle of the vein is usually richer.

From these two veins Sir John Erskin had the Ore out of which he received 134 Ounces of fine silver before he went into the rebellion. Mr Hamilton smelted that Ore but did not then Oversee the mine, but see the ore raised out of the Mine from the said two veins. And after Sir John went to the Rebells Mr Hamilton by order of the Lady Erskin had the oversight & direction of four miners who dug the Ore from those two veins about four months together or something above, & put them up in old Casks (Hogsheads & Barrells {illeg}) to the quantity of about 40 Tunns of Ore more or less & hid the Casks on the north west side of the house just by the Gate of the house And then Mr Hamilton came away to London & about a fortnight after went to my Lord Mayor & made an affidavit of what he knew about this matter.

About half a mile or three furlongs west from this Burn or flood-gutter there is some scattered scattered sparr brought down by the watter which spar is a signe of minerals in that gutter & the mineralls may prove either Copper or Silver Ore or both together. But Mr Hamilton doth not yet know what it will prove.

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And about two miles from this silver mine westward there is a Copper mine which holds a good quantity of silver. Two or three pounds of Ore hold a pound of Copper, & a pound Averdupois of Copper holds about 24 penny weight of fine Silver more or less.

Taken from Mr Hamilton 22th August 1716.

When the silver Mine was first discovered the veine was small & by digging into the mountain is grown bigger & bigger.