526 



The iron ore is smelted by the natives to some extent, particularly 

 near the town of Dooclye. The variety generally selected, on account 

 of the imperfect apparatus employed, has a spongiform texture, small 

 specific gravity, and is easily frangible. The ore is broken into small 

 pieces and disposed in layers, alternately with others of charcoal, in a 

 rude open furnace, acted upon by two small bellows made of sheep 

 skin. The metal on being fused, falls into a small hole at the bottom 

 of the furnace, whence it is removed into an inclosed furnace, and 

 subjected to the same blasts until it acquires a white heat, when it is 

 taken out and beat into a bar. A considerable quantity of iron was 

 formerly made from another variety of ore, found in the superficial 

 soil at the north-western extremity of Cutch. 



In one part of the province, tlie author noticed a deposit of variegated 

 sandstone and marl, but was unable to determine its position with 

 respect to the other formations, it is covered, in part, by an aluminous 

 earth, on which rests a bed of red clay. The former, when visited by 

 Capt. Grant, had been burning spontaneously for a long time, sending 

 forth a suffocating sulphureous smoke. Considerable quantities of 

 alum are made from the earth and exported to Bombay. 



Another formation, described by the author, occurs south of Luck- 

 put, near the eastern branch of the Indus. It consists of soft and 

 hard, whitish limestone, containing innumerable Nummulites and 

 Fasciolites, also Echini, Spatangi, Ostrea and Corals. 



The tertiary deposit consists of a hard, argillaceous grit covered by 

 a conglomerate. The organic remains, which are very numerous, are 

 often disposed in beds confined to one species; the prevaling genera 

 being Area, Pecten, Ostrea, Cardium, Conus, Cyprsea, Ovula, Fusus, 

 Trochus, Solarium, Strombus, and Cassis. Patches of Corals, two or 

 three acres in extent, sometimes also occur. 



Under the head of alluvial tracts, Capt. Grant gave an account 

 of changes, produced along the southern coast by the deposition of 

 sediment. At Mandavee is a ruin, at a spot called the old Bun- 

 der or quay, now about three miles inland ; and in the centre of 

 the town is a small temple, built upon a rocky foundation, but said to 

 have stood in the sea, when the old Bunder was the landing place. 

 At other localities in the Gulf of Cutch, similar processes are going 

 on, rendering it necessary to remove the landing-places frequently 

 further seaward. The rapid progress of these accumulations is 

 ascribed to the sea, during nine months washing back the sandy 

 detritus, brought down by the periodical floods. The same ope- 

 ration is also in progress at places, separated from the main waters 

 of the gulf by small creeks or inlets, some of which penetrate six 

 or seven miles from tlie coast, through a tract covered with shrubs. 

 At low-water the whole of these plants, are exposed down to their 

 roots, but at high -tide merely their tops are visible, so that boats 

 sail through aconipleteiy marine forest. The growth of these shrubs 

 is rapid, and the sailors have constantly to force the boats through 

 the upper branches, particularly at the angles of the creeks, when 

 they wish to save a tack. The stems and lower branches are 

 covered with testacea, whilst the upper are occupied by numerous 



