1841.] On the Mineral resources^ fyc. of Northern Afghanistan. 91 



3 of Silver, 1 of Copper, 



1 of Lapis Lazuli, 2 of Lead, 



3 of Iron, 1 of Sulphur. 



I doubt the genuineness of the whole story, but there is I believe no doubt of the 

 fact, that old mines do exist there, and what they are, is yet to be ascertained. My 

 informant says that he saw a number of old grinding stones in a stream close by tbe 

 mines, which are believed to have been used by the ancients for crushing ore. It is 

 reported also among some of tbe Huzarehs, that a number of golden vessels were 

 discovered once in some of the old mines of their country, and there is a tradition of 

 gold mines having been worked, but that the vein or veins are now lost. To tales 

 like these I attach no importance, further than as a stimulus to, and a necessity for, 

 investigation. I believe, moreover, from the specimens of iron, lead, copper, sulphur, 

 and coal, which have been brought to me from thence, that the whole of that country 

 is a rich mineral tract, and if the precious metals do exist there, as they are generally 

 found in small quantity, it must be remembered, that their discovery is not likely to 

 take place all at once, but to be the work probably of time and patient inquiry. A 

 speck of gold in a piece of quartz may point to a deposit of that metal ; or an acci- 

 dental circumstance, (such as a Populzye chief related to me the other day,) may 

 lead to the discovery of silver : namely, that many years ago small particles of it 

 had been observed in a stone on which a fire had been lighted. 



A specimen of cinnabar, (sulphuret of mercury,) was brought to me once by a 

 villager, who said he had found it in the neighbourhood of Sultanpore near Jelalla- 

 bad ; but as I did not find any traces of it in the rocks in that vicinity, the probabi- 

 lity is, it may have been dropped there by accident. Cinnabar is a rich ore of quick- 

 silver, it is a production of Thibet, and if it be ever found in this country, it will 

 more likely be discovered in the direction of the Kohi Baba range than elsewhere. 

 I lately heard also of a very heavy red coloured stone, which is used by the natives 

 in that quarter as a pigment, and sent for a specimen of it, but the individual I com- 

 missioned has not yet arrived. A person who was returning from that country the 

 other day with a collection of specimens, was unfortunately robbed of every thing he 

 had. Were the Huzarehs any other people, I should conclude from the description 

 of the mineral that was given, and their manner of using it, that it was cinnabar, but 

 they are such a perfectly rude and ignorant race, that I fear it will be found to be 

 simply the red oxide of iron. Should gold dust be ever collected on the great scale 

 or veins of the precious metals be discovered and worked in this country, a mine of 

 quicksilver would be of great importance for the necessary amalgamation works ; 

 but this is at present a very vague speculation. 



I have mentioned the existence of copper in the Ghilzye and Huzareh territories, 

 Copper. specimens also from Bagour have come under my notice.* 



Lead seems to abound in the Huzareh districts, in Ghorabund of Kohistan, and in 



Lead. Wurduk. The lead of the former two is of an excellent 



quality, the latter is inferior, and of a harsher character. The ore is the sul- 



* The price of lead in Cabool in time of Dost Mahomed Khan was Rs. 1 A per Cabool seer, at pre. 

 sent its sells for Rs. 3. 



