536 Account of the Koh-i-Ddman, [June,. 



peared. The slate was in many places black and crumbling, (a variety- 

 described by MacCullack,) and looked as if altered by fire. 



In a limestone hill, west of Fuligird, occurs another mine of antimo- 

 ny like the former on the surface, and on our way to visit this, we 

 unexpectedly hit on a very magnificent natural cavern, which we ex- 

 plored (having sent back for torches), to the distance of three or four 

 hundred yards ; but without finding bones or indeed any thing to reward 

 us, except the sight of some very large and transparent stalactites. The 

 cavern was situated almost on the summit of the hill, 2000 feet above 

 the Ghorband valley, which with its river now lessened to a silver thread, 

 and its gardens of apricots, mulberries, and almonds, in their autumnal 

 livery, looking as though they had been painted on the lofty and per- 

 fectly barren mountains, which every where towered above them, had a 

 singularly beautiful and almost magical appearance. 



This hill is based on quartz rock, between which and its limestone 

 cap intervenes a bed of decaying mica slate about 500 feet in thickness. 

 This has a gentle dip (10°) towards the southwest, and the limestone? 

 which is grey, and crystalline, lies conformably on it. The mouth of 

 the cavern is marked by a wild almond tree which grows over it, and 

 seems to spring from the bare rock. There is a second opening about 

 100 feet lower down, but the rock is so precipitous that this can only 

 be approached through the cavern. Iron ore occurs so abundantly 

 through the entire range that I have thought it unnecessary to particu. 

 larize its localities. The richest I have seen is the black iron ore near 

 the pass of Hajeeghuk, where it forms entire hills by itself; but from the 

 difficulty of carriage and total want of fuel its value must be consider- 

 bly diminished. 



Copper is not to be found in the parts which I have visited, all the 

 specimens brought to me were from the neighbourhood of Bajour north 

 of Peshawar. They were principally malachite and peacock ore, 

 and seemed rich in metal. 



I heard of the existence of lapis lazuli in the vicinity of Fuligard 

 and sent a man to search for it in the direction indicated, but he return- 

 ed unsuccessful. 



Zinc in the form of its emoreseed white sulphate, known here by the 

 name of zdk, occurs generally through the volcanic region I have de- 

 scribed, as do also sulphur, sal-ammoniac, ochre, and nitre. There is a 

 salt spring at Nimakan, which lies between Ghorband and Kairshana ; 

 but salt for domestic purposes is generally brought from near Balkh, 

 The influence of petrifying springs has been extensive in this district ; 

 some of them are still at work, others closed up by their own deposits. 



