224 Memoranda on the Peshawur Valley. [No. 3, 
valuable or curious mineral products of the district or its neighbour- 
hood that I am acquainted with are :—iron, which is brought, roughly 
smelted, in considerable quantity from Bajour, where it is found in the 
form of iron-sand ; naphtha, (mumidz or gunduk ka tel) which is pro- 
cured between Kalabagh and Attock, and used as an application to 
sores; asbestos, said to be brought from a locality near the Khaiber 
pass; and mica (sang-t-jarahat, or sim-gil) which is used in powder 
and mixed with plaster for giving a silvery appearance to cor- 
nices, &c. 
A tradition exists among the inhabitants of the district, apparently 
originating in a desire to account for the elevated sites chosen for 
many of the numerous ancient cities, whose ruins are found in various 
parts, that the whole of the bed of the valley was at one time under 
water. It appears very doubtful, however, if any such body of water 
has existed since long anterior to the erection of these buildings ; 
although, that there has been at least partial submergence is evidenced 
by the fact that in several places, (e. g. close to the fort of Abazai, 
and near Ashnagar,) the remains of numerous buildings are found 
covered by the usual clayey soil, and whose foundations are several 
feet below the present level of the ground. These have generally 
been brought to light by accidental excavations or abrasion by water 
and are often accompanied by fragments of reliefs, apparently of 
Tndo-Bactrian origin. But little has hitherto been done to throw 
light on the various ruins and reliefs that have been discovered in the 
Peshawur district, and the proper examination of the materials al- 
ready available, with a systematic search for others, would amply repay 
the labours of any one practised in such researches. It is gratifying 
to know that part of the local funds have recently been made avail- 
able for investigations in this direction, under the direction of the 
Rev. I. Loewenthal of the American Mission, who is admirably qua- 
lified for the task, and to whom I am much indebted for aid as to 
various subjects referred to in this paper. 
Considerable tracts of the lower parts of the valley contain much 
saline matter, which effloresces abundantly on the surface, and the 
presence of which induces a copious growth of Salsolacez with other 
plants (such as Lamarix dioica and Berthelotia lanceolata) which 
flonrish in saline soil. 
The uncultivated parts of the Peshawur district, are barren in 
