1838.] the Ghorhand mines, and Hindu Kiish. 533 



gated with red, green, and ashen grey, which on examination we found 

 to be produced by ochre, red, indurated clay, decaying green stone and 

 strata of volcanic ashes. These indications of ancient volcanic action, and 

 along with them, efflorescence and sheets of sulphate of lime, the deposits 

 of springs which had whitened large tracts on the side of the range, ex- 

 tended along westward, as we continued our course to Chandi, — the vol- 

 canic indications being generally at an inconsiderate elevation, and in 

 most instances capped by conglomerate or beds of clay to a depth of 

 50-200 feet. The valley we were told, stretched away west and south- 

 west, until it nearly reached to Bdmian; but the upper end of it 

 was inhabited by the Skaik Ali, a lawless tribe of Huzarahs who 

 acknowledge no ruler, and rob every one that comes within their grasp, 

 so that for a long series of years, the road has been closed to the 

 traveller and the merchant. 



We were therefore obliged to terminate our researches at Chandi y 

 but it gave me no little pleasure, on a subsequent journey, to recognize 

 the very same volcanic indication with basalt, and anzodaloid superad- 

 ed, in the vale of Lohuk, which is distant about 40 miles southwest of 

 the point where we were now turned back, and to be able to trace these 

 indications through Topclie up to Bdmian itself, and finally to iden- 

 tify by its mineralogical characters, as well as by its geological connec- 

 tions, the conglomerate in which the caves of Bdmian are scooped, 

 and its gigantic idols carved, with the conglomerate in the vale of 

 Ghorhand^ in which we now proceeded to examine a more extensive 

 and more useful excavation. This was a lead mine which had been 

 worked in the time of the Chagatais, but which, from the ignorance of 

 the Afghans or the troubles which have so constantly beset them, has been 

 totally neglected, insomuch that the inhabitants of the neighbourhood were 

 perfectly unaware of its nature, and viewed it with a sort of superstitious 

 reverence, as a relic of some mysterious folk of former times. They 

 even made some difficulties about shewing us the entrance, and when 

 they understood our intention of going in, earnestly attempted to dis- 

 suade us ; a few agreed to accompany us as torch-bearers, though the 

 greater part shook their heads at their rashness. Having obtained a good 

 supply of oil, and taken a compass that we might be sure of our way 

 back again, we commenced our under-ground exploration at the auspi- 

 cious hour of noon, on the 22nd Oetober, 1837. 



The mine is known by the name of Feringal*, is situated at the 



* In an ingenious paper on the site of Alexandria ad Caucasum, I observe Mr. 

 Masson wishes to appropriate this as the cave of Prometheus. I am sorry to 

 deprive him of it, especially for so ignoble a purpose as to convert it into a lead 

 3 x 



