1842.] of the Himmalay a Mountains. lxxix 



argillaceous schist). Just above the bridge, nodules of limestone are 

 seen, but the rock appears to have no extent. 



168. In the bed of the river, a very perfect type of argillaceous schist 

 is seen, distinctly stratified, and dipping conformably. It passes into a 

 rock, having the strongest resemblance to reunited angular debris. It 

 is in this rock that the Uyar lead mines are situated. The rock 

 is so soft, as to afford great facilities in excavation, but unless well 

 supported by wooden framing, it is liable to the accident of falling; 

 has happened more than once, and several miners have been crushed. 

 The ore is a steel grey fine granular galena, (hexahedral lead glance,) 

 and is often found in veins traversing quartz ; it is accompanied by iron 

 pyrites, (rhombohedral iron pyrites.) 



169. At this place the river is crossed by a bridge formed of a single 

 rope, on which a block with the passenger or baggage attached, tra- 

 verses. It is a very tedious, though perfectly safe method of crossing a 

 river. On the right bank about one and a half mile lower down 

 is the lead mine of Mywar, belonging to Tounsar, one of the reserved 

 districts. That at Uyar belongs to Sirmoor. At Mywar, the same ore is 

 found and accompanied by the same minerals, and the containing rock 

 is there also a clay slate, though occasionally very calcareous. The 

 galleries are very numerous ; in some, sulphur is obtained. In others, 

 the vein is a blackish friable earth, in which the galena is in nodules. 



170. The route to Borrela from this place turns back to the north- 

 ward, ascending along the right bank of the river. In crossing the 

 Ventijar, which here falls in the Tonse, argillaceous schist is seen in its 

 bed in situ, while the round stones are all limestone. These boulders 

 continue to the height of 300 feet above the bed of the river, and are 

 united with a calcareous conglomerate, which is, however, of a very limited 

 extent. Argillaceous schist is thence the prevailing rock, but mixed 

 with occasional patches of limestone ; above the village of Joktan the 

 latter rock establishes itself in larger masses, constituting whole ridges, 

 and extending with very little interruption thence to Borela. 



171. It is in this rock, which in its lower strata appears to pass, into 

 argillaceous schist, that the lead mines of Borela are situated. The ore 

 is in every respect similar to that found at Uyar and Mywar, and is also 

 accompanied as there, by iron pyrites. The number of galleries here, as 

 well as at Mywar, is truly surprising, and shews the perseverance of 



