268 AFOOT THROUGH THE 



And for men without professions, what openings are 

 there ? The question is difficult to answer with certainty, 

 for in a newly-opened country so much must be of a 

 purely experimental nature. Certain things have been 

 tried, and found either successful, or what is really as 

 good, found to contain the germs of success I mean the 

 grounds of their failures have been gauged and proved 

 to be remediable. Of those things about which there 

 remains a great deal of uncertainty may be mentioned 

 the mineral wealth. There are reports of large quantities 

 of iron of fine quality to be found in certain parts, 

 notably the Soh district. Other minerals, too, are in 

 sufficient quantities to make their working profitable, 

 and the discovery of fine sapphires leads to the supposi- 

 tion that other native tales of precious stones among 

 the mountains are worth at least some attention and 

 sufficient credence to produce an active search. 



The manufactures are much benefited by English 

 advice and supervision, many of them requiring only to 

 be better known to become in greatly increased demand, 

 the quality of the raw materials used in such things as 

 cloths, carpets, silks, etc., and the perfection of the hand 

 work making them certain of a favourable verdict 

 wherever shown, however great the number of 

 competitors. 



In the matter of fruits, vegetables, and crops 

 generally, the transport must be considered, and the 

 question is a mighty complicated one. The enormous 

 expense and difficulties in the way of making a railway 

 into the Maharajah's domain put it in the estimation 

 of most of the competent authorities out of the region 

 of practical enterprise, but a very great deal might be 

 done towards improving the present direct road. It is 



