Jan. 1844.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. vii 



is first broken down, and afterwards into smaller pieces of about an inch in diameter, 

 by small hand hammers, mixed with double its weight of charcoal, and put into clay 

 furnaces about 5 feet high and one-half in diameter, the draft is given by a hand bel- 

 lows, the nozzles of which are of fine clay and require constant renewal. 



The slag is drawn off by tapping the lower part of the furnace ; the iron however 

 is not completely fused, but is taken only by tongs through the top of the furnace ; 

 after withdrawal of the slag. At this stage, it is of a pale straw colour, and is at once 

 subjected to hammering, by which it loses one-third of its weight, this hammering being 

 continued till the iron is cool, it is then considered ready for forging. As a specimen of 

 the manufactured iron, I send half a tawa, or scone for baking chupattees, weighing 

 about 41b. 



I send also some specimens of iron ore kindly collected at my request for the Museum, 

 by Lieut. Turner, 51st N. I. when that officer was on detached duty at Tendookheru, a 

 village south of Saugor, and within a few miles of the Nerbudda. From these mines, 

 the iron of which Col. Presgrave formed the bars for the Suspension Bridge over the 

 Beas river near Saugor, was procured. 



No. 1, is the rock of which the hills containing the ore mostly consist. 



No. 2, is the ore. 



No. 3, Slag. 



No. 4, Iron from the furnace, unrefined by forging. 



From the neighbourhood of Saugor I send specimens of Kunkur, No. 5 and 8 of 

 which, should you have leisure, I should be glad to obtain a correct analysis. 



The specimens of mortar or concrete which I send, were formed from a mixture of 

 lime made from kunkur No. 5, with gravel and tile dust. One specimen had water 

 poured on it a few minutes after it was mixed, and commenced hardening from that mo- 

 ment; the surface set very quickly ; the lime used was rather stale, having been burned 

 upwards of a month, and exposed to a damp atmosphere. It was carefuly ground, 

 however, a measure essential to the goodness of mortar made with kunkur or other 

 hydraulic limes. I have added some specimens of limestone marked No.* 6, found in masses 

 or boulders imbedded in the black soil of the Saugor district, and a specimen of the 

 red sandstone of that part of the country, which in many places is in laminae sufficiently 

 thin to be used for roofing purposes in lieu of slates. It is likewise found in slabs, 

 used in thicknesses of 3 or 4 inches as architraves, having a bearing of from 6 to 8 and 

 even 10 feet. This stone is likewise in general use for marble masonry, being more 

 commonly found massive or with irregular lamination. 



I take the opportunity of adding as mere matters of curiosity, at least, without re- 

 ference to any building or other useful purpose in the Saugor district, 



A specimen of granite from Debsor river in Bundelkund. 



A specimen of a dark compact rock with the character of which 1 am unacquaint- 

 ed.* From the position in which I found it, I believe it to extend over a large tract of 

 country in the Jhansi state on the left bank of the Debsor, at a depth of from 30 to 40 

 feet from the surface. I have the honour to be, Sir, 



Your most obedient servant, 

 7, Russell Street, Chowringhee, J. N. Oldfield, Capt. 



December 2d, 1843. Executive Engineer, Saugor Division. 



'•* It is an indurated and somewhat fibrous clay slate. — H. P. 



