OLDHAM : GEOLOGY OF MANIPUR AND NAGA HILLS. 25 



front ; the chimney above being kept full of charcoal and ore insures that 

 the fire is continuously fed, but otherwise takes no part in the operation. 

 From the above description it will be seen that the ore is practically reduced 

 on an open hearth, and the Manipuri furnace would seem to show one of 

 the first steps in the transition between the original method of reducing 

 the ore in an open fire and its reduction in a scientifically-constructed blast 

 furnace. Doubtless the Indian furnace is the descendant of such a struc- 

 ture, some inventive genius experimentally inclined tried the experiment 

 of closing the aperture opposite the tuyeres and forcing the products of 

 combustion to escape upwards through the chimney, and finding his ex- 

 periment a success, inaugurated a new era in the reduction of iron. 



53. Copper is worked in the south-eastern corner of Manipur terri- 

 Co , tory, the ore being obtained from the hills border- 

 ing the Kubo valley. I was not able to visit 



this locality, but was shown a specimen of malachite and copper pyrites 

 mixed, said to have come from the Maku hill. I expect however that 

 it really came from the first-mentioned locality, as I could get no exact 

 information as to what part of Maku the ore was extracted from. 



54. Gold is washed in the sands of the Ningthi river, but not, so 



_ , , far as I was able to discover, to anv great extent 



Gold. J ° 



it is not found in Manipur territory. 



55. The supply of lime is very deficient. Manipur is supplied by the 



produce of the beds mentioned in paragraphs 7 {et 

 seq.) which has to be carried three days' journey ; 

 here as elsewhere in India the solid limestone is not burnt, tufa being pre- 

 ferred. In the Naga hills no limestone has been discovered, nor do I 

 consider it likely that any will be discovered at any rate within a reason- 

 able distance of Kohima. 



56. In the valley of Manipur in a small tila to the left of the main 



road leading northwards from the city, there is- 

 Edible earth. ° J ' 



exposed an unctuous clayey rock, which is dug 



out and sold in the bazaar, being esteemed a delicacy to which medicinal 



virtues are also attributed. 



c ( 241 ) 



