Captain Blanj^s Memoir on Sirmor. 61 



Sarli, with the large cone, found in abundance near Ndhen ; 2. the Chir, 

 another long-leaved fir, very common ; 3. the Ro, bearing a small oval cone ; 



4. the Kelui, whose cone is from six to eight inches long, and of a de- 

 lightful fragrance ; tiie wood of this tree is the most valued of all the firs 



5. the Morinda ; 6. the Theonar ; and 7- Liaur, complete the enumera- 

 tion. The five last reach the greatest perfection, on the ranges projecting 

 from Chu7\ and those between Kardm and Ldkandi. The Dup, and Chtr, 

 are long-leaved. The turpentine, pitch, and tar, which the fir forests 

 would yield, are alone suflicient to render them worthy of attention. Their 

 value, as timber, is much diminished by the difficulty and labour, which 

 must attend their removal; and on account of their distance from any 

 dock-yard, where they would be most prize'd. Roads might, however, be 

 opened to the nearest points of the Tans, and Jumna, from the banks of 

 which it would be easy to float them down, at a moderate expense. 



Mines. 



Sirmor is not productive in mines, as they are at present wrought. A 

 copper mine near Kalsi, was formerly productive ; but has, for some time, 

 been abandoned. Abundance of iron ore is found on the slopes of the 

 hills, near the great Ldkandi. The ore yields one-fourth of its weight of 

 impure iron, which scarcely affords the labourer his bread. It is procured 

 by smelting in a small clay furnace, in the form of the frustum of a cone, 

 from which it runs out, imi)erfectly liquified, at an orifice beneath. The 

 coarse iron is sold at twenty-four sers for a rupee ; and is chiefly used at 

 the neighbouring lead mine of Ludi. This is a more profitable concern, 

 and gives employment daily to one hundred men. From twenty-five to 

 tliirty maunds of ore are collected in a day, which yield six maunds of 

 metal, valued at ten rupees per maund. 



In Joumar, and the country lying between the Sain range and Chur, are 

 some slate quarries. This material, clumsily wrouglit, is used for roofing, 

 in those districts where timber is scarce. It is difficult to say, what stores 

 of mineral wealth may be contained in such a country. They oflfer an 

 ample field of research to the mineralogist, as the vegetable productions do 

 to the botanist. 



Sand-stone prevails in the low ranges, contiguous to the plains, and in the 

 Jaitak range ; and calcareous incrustations are occasionally observed, in the 

 beds of the torrents, which here have their birth. Sections of pudding-stone 



