88 On the Mineral resources, fyc. of Northern Afghanistan. [No. 109. 



of the latter will not only directly aid the working of all metallic veins which may he 

 found, hut become the basis of various superstructures, and when its more general 

 use is inducedby a deduction in price, civilization and improvement will rapidly 

 extend. 



It is commonly supposed in this, as in other barbarous countries, that Russia must 

 be rich, since gold mines are reported to be there. But the gold, the platina, and 

 other metallic produce of the Urals, are well known to be far inferior in financial im- 

 portance to the iron, and if in the Uralian chain, the activity and enterprise of the 

 Muscovite can fabricate annually the large quantity of 7,400,000 pood, (132,000 

 tons) of iron, what may not British energy and industry effect, when they come to be 

 applied to the vast deposits of iron, and the deep and endless forests of the Indian 

 Caucasus and Himalaya.* 



Remarks on other Mineral Productions of Northern Afghanistan. 



I proceed now to offer a few observations on the other mineral productions of this 

 country, and I may here mention, that the plan I have been pursuing hitherto, has 

 been to employ the natives themselves to search in all directions, and bring me 

 every kind of mineral which has the appearance of an ore. The exciting a spirit of 

 inquiry in this way, although it has been expensive to myself, is by far the most 

 expeditious method of enabling one to arrive ultimately at a general knowledge 

 of what the country may possess. During the previous year, the political ferment 

 that existed thwarted my success very much ; but now that these troubles have 

 ceased, and the attention of the people is withdrawn from them, the fruits of this 

 plan, if followed up, will become much more apparent. Nothing can exceed the 

 avidity withw hich the Afghans enter upon what to them is so novel a pursuit ; and 

 the laborious, and ardent manner in which they traverse the most rugged rocks, 

 and most unfrequented places, when stimulated by an appeal to their interests. It 

 is my rule to pay them well, when I have any tbing like proof that they have 

 worked hard, even though they have been unsuccessful ; and, on the other hand, 

 if successful, they are sure of a handsome reward. 



Of the valuable mineral coal, there are three directions in which lignite coal is 



Coal. found in the northern districts of Afghanistan. 



The first formation is along the line of the Indus, the most promising locality of 

 which appears to be near Kaneegoorum in the Wuzeeree territory. 



Parallel to this, is a second outcrop of coal in the Ghilzye territory, which I dis- 

 covered lately at Dobundee, and whilst I have been writing this paper, specimens 

 have been brought me from Hissaruk. 



The third formation is in the Huzarah country ; specimens of this have been 

 brought me from the vicinity of Syghan. 



* According to a pamphlet published in 1825, by Mr. H. J. Prescott, for the removal of the 

 high duty on foreign iron, it is stated : " The quantity of iron exported from Stockholm in the year 

 1822 and also in 1824 was 36,000 tons. Sweden in general exports perhaps 100, or 102,000 tons." 



