﻿ECONOMIC 
  GEOLOGY. 
  155 
  

  

  be 
  manufactured; 
  but 
  nothing- 
  of 
  the 
  sort 
  occurs 
  in 
  Pegu, 
  where 
  

   the 
  carbonaceous 
  deposits 
  associated 
  with 
  the 
  Nummulitic 
  group 
  would 
  

   seem 
  to 
  be 
  absolutely 
  worthless. 
  

  

  Gold. 
  — 
  Gold 
  occurs 
  in 
  the 
  bed 
  of 
  the 
  Irrawadi, 
  but 
  in 
  such 
  fine 
  dust 
  

   and 
  so 
  sparingly 
  that 
  few 
  engage 
  in 
  the 
  task 
  of 
  washing 
  for 
  it. 
  I 
  am 
  

   told 
  that 
  it 
  is 
  occasionally 
  washed 
  before 
  Prome, 
  but 
  the 
  only 
  spot 
  where 
  

   I 
  have 
  witnessed 
  the 
  process 
  is 
  at 
  Shuaygyeing, 
  ( 
  gold 
  scratching' 
  (not 
  

   to 
  be 
  confounded 
  with 
  the 
  Shuaygyeen 
  on 
  the 
  Sittoung), 
  just 
  above 
  

   Monyo, 
  where 
  a 
  little 
  gold 
  is 
  occasionally 
  obtained. 
  The 
  gold 
  is 
  found 
  

   in 
  a 
  coarse 
  gravel-bank, 
  left 
  dry 
  by 
  the 
  river 
  when 
  it 
  subsides 
  after 
  the 
  

   rains. 
  . 
  This 
  coarse 
  gravel 
  is 
  dug 
  out 
  and 
  laid 
  on 
  a 
  sort 
  of 
  hurdle, 
  which 
  

   permits 
  the 
  fine 
  sand 
  to 
  pass 
  through, 
  the 
  coarse 
  pebbles 
  and 
  boulders 
  being 
  

   rejected. 
  This 
  sand 
  is 
  washed 
  on 
  an 
  inclined 
  board. 
  The 
  lighter 
  por- 
  

   tions 
  being 
  gradually 
  swept 
  down 
  the 
  incline 
  by 
  a 
  stream 
  of 
  water 
  

   directed 
  over 
  it, 
  whilst 
  the 
  heavy 
  auriferous 
  sand 
  remains 
  and 
  is 
  from 
  

   time 
  to 
  time 
  collected. 
  This 
  sand 
  is 
  lastly 
  washed 
  in 
  the 
  common 
  

   wooden 
  hand 
  dish, 
  of 
  circular 
  form, 
  and 
  the 
  gold 
  it 
  contains 
  collected 
  by 
  

   amalgamation. 
  The 
  profits 
  of 
  this 
  pursuit 
  are 
  small 
  and 
  the 
  labor 
  great, 
  

   the 
  men 
  not 
  netting 
  probably 
  more 
  than 
  two 
  or 
  three 
  annas 
  a 
  day 
  pro- 
  

   fit, 
  which 
  must 
  be 
  regarded 
  as 
  a 
  miserable 
  remuneration 
  where 
  the 
  ordi- 
  

   nary 
  hire 
  for 
  a 
  cooly 
  is 
  eight 
  annas, 
  or 
  twice 
  that 
  at 
  the 
  rice 
  ports 
  during 
  

   the 
  shipping 
  season. 
  

  

  Iron. 
  — 
  Iron 
  ore 
  of 
  excellent 
  quality 
  occurs, 
  as 
  already 
  described, 
  in 
  

   the 
  fossil-wood 
  group 
  in 
  Eastern 
  Prome, 
  and 
  a 
  considerable 
  manufacture 
  

   of 
  the 
  article 
  was 
  formerly 
  carried 
  on, 
  prior 
  to 
  the 
  British 
  occupation. 
  

   The 
  manufacture 
  has 
  now, 
  however, 
  entirely 
  ceased, 
  owing 
  to 
  the 
  greater 
  

   cheapness 
  of 
  English 
  iron 
  and 
  steel, 
  and 
  the 
  more 
  convenient 
  form 
  

   in 
  which 
  the 
  imported 
  metal 
  is 
  procurable. 
  For 
  further 
  detail 
  on 
  this 
  

   head 
  vide 
  Records 
  of 
  the 
  Geological 
  Survey, 
  Part 
  4, 
  1869, 
  page 
  83. 
  

  

  Limestone.- 
  — 
  No 
  limestone 
  whatever 
  occurs 
  on 
  the 
  East 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  

   Irrawadi 
  river, 
  if 
  we 
  except 
  a 
  few 
  scattered 
  and 
  most 
  insignificant 
  patches 
  

  

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  343 
  ) 
  

  

  