Chap. VII.] economic geology. 175 



Chapter VII. — Economic Geology. 



So much has been said, and is believed, about the boundless mineral 

 Supposed mineral resources of .the Himalayas, that I feel it is at great 

 wealth - disadvantage that I am obliged to take up the 



opposite side of the argument. It would, I believe, be difficult to find 

 elsewhere an equal area of mountain country so barren of mineral 

 wealth. For those who are sceptical about geological opinions on such 

 matters, there is an argument which seems to me of much weight ; it is, 

 that the natives know nothing of these treasures. There are not very 

 many useful materials with which they are not more or less acquainted. 

 In their miserable way they can work ores at a profit which could 

 never remunerate the European manufacturer. Those whose trade and 

 caste it is to deal in minerals are very expert in recognizing and de- 

 tecting signs of mineral deposit. I have seen a native set to work to 

 grub for ore in a place where no one, who had not made a special 

 study of the district, would have suspected its existence ; yet the dis- 

 coveries they have made in these mountains are very far from promis- 

 ing. There is, however, a consideration which may reconcile us in some 

 measure to this scarcity. These mountains are so difficult of access, 

 that, except their mineral products were of the most valuable quality 

 and occurred in the richest abundance, they would still remain profitless. 

 The case of iron illustrates this statement : at many places in the Lower 

 Himalayas iron ore of the richest quality occurs, but is now, and pro- 

 bably must long remain, useless to the country at large on account of the 

 difficulty of bringing it to market. 



Building Stones. — Those stations, as Dugshai, Kasaoli, Subathu, 

 Dhurmsala, which are built upon the lower groups of the Sub-Hima- 

 layan series, have an unfailing supply of good building material in the 



