Capt. Grant on the Geologi/ of Cutch. 293 



fused heaps of a very ferruginous sandstone and ironstone^ belonging to this 

 formation, and the surface soil is a deep sand. The texture of the strata 

 varies from a coarse., loose sandstone to a compact and extremely hard quartz- 

 ose grit and conglomerate, cemented by ferruginous matter, some specimens 

 being almost black. 



Iron Ore. — In tliis formation, the iron ore smelted for commerce is procured. It is found in 

 different parts of the country, but has been principally extracted near the town of Doodye, oppo- 

 site the S.W, termination of the Bunnee. It there occurs in small lumps, which are of a spongi- 

 form texture, small specific gravity, and are very frangible. The natives, however, value this 

 variety more than the heavier, from its yielding with greater ease to their imperfect means of 

 smelting. 



Manufacture of Iron. — In extracting the metal, layers of very small pieces are disposed alter- 

 nately with others of charcoal, in a rude open furnace, and exposed to the blast of two small 

 bellows made of sheep-skins. The metal, when fused, falls into a hole at the bottom of the fur- 

 nace, whence it is transferred to an inclosed furnace, and subjected to similar blasts, until brought 

 to a white heat, when it is taken out and beaten into a bar. No flux of any kind is used. A con- 

 siderable quantity of iron was, at one time, made from a totally different description of ore, found 

 near the village of Punundrow, in a plain which extends to the sea or eastern mouth of the Indus. 

 This plain is bounded to the south by low hills covered with fragments of basalt, being outliers 

 of a basaltic range further to the south-east. The surface of the plain is composed of a fine 

 smooth gravel, composed of comminuted particles of iron ore, and has every appearance of having 

 been, at no distant period, covered with water. The iron ore is found near the surface of the low 

 hills above mentioned, in small tabular fragments imbedded in a purple-coloured earth ; and those 

 pieces are selected, which give a bright streak on being struck by a pointed instrument. Exter- 

 nally the ore is of a purple colour, and internally presents small dark blue fibres, arranged at 

 right angles to the surface of the specimen. In another place a variety occurs, which resembles 

 small fragments of tile, but has the same internal structure. It is very hard, and of considerable 

 specific gravity; and is said by the natives to have yielded a much greater per centage and much 

 better iron than the oi-e found at Doodye ; but the manufacture of it has been suspended, owing 

 partly to the scarcity of fuel, and partly to English iron being procured at a cheaper rate, as well 

 as in much more convenient forms. 



Coal. — Coal has been found in this formation in various places, but not in 

 beds sufficiently thick to be worth working. It was first discovered in the 

 bank of a river near the city of Bhooj, forming a bed about 18 inches thick, 

 and associated with strata of sandstone and blue clay, the dip being, to the 

 eastward, one foot in twenty. This bed was worked for some time, and con- 

 siderable quantities of its produce were sent to Bombay, but the quality was 

 bad, being very slaty, and containing a large proportion of incombustible 

 matter. Attempts were afterwards made to discover coal in other parts of 

 the province ; and although various beds were met with, they were too thin 

 to be of any value. This search was carried on principally to the south 

 of the Charwar range, a few miles from the town and fort of Seesaghud. 



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