1848,] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 541 



cave stone rub with the other until a paste is formed, which with friction by 

 the hand on either steel or brass will produce a beautiful polish." 



It will be recollected that I ascertained the Swamy stone sent from Europe 

 by Major William's brother to be an Agalmatolite, but the present one is 

 altogether of a different class of minerals, and I am indeed at present inclined 

 to suppose it to be the red variety of the rare and little known mineral 

 Indianite ; but I am desirous of obtaining if possible more of it from Dr. 

 Spilsbury, before destroying the appearance of our present specimen (in its 

 Economical point of view) by taking sufficient for quantitative analysis which 

 alone can test the correctness of my supposition, as the mere physical charac- 

 ters and such qualitative examination as I have been able to make from 

 splinters will not suffice. The (undoubted) presence of Magnesia also in 

 our specimen, though but in a small per centage, would make it differ from 

 Indianite ; but this may be a chance impurity. 



Another addition to our Museum is a specimen of the Muscat Rock Salt, 

 which contains I find a considerable portion of Gypsum. This when the salt 

 deliquesces is left in minute crystals on the surface. This impurity is no doubt 

 the cause of the decomposition, which is said by those in the trade, to go on 

 when this salt and white salt (sea water salt) are in contact ; but the action is 

 obscure, unless we also suppose the presence of organic matter (from infu- 

 soria?) to decompose the sulphate of lime. 



The salt contains also muriate of lime and sulphate of soda, as usual in all 

 mineral salts. 



Captain Sherwill has presented to us a complete set of specimens of the 

 re and vein-stones of the lead and antimony veins near Bhaugulpore, of which 

 he had before sent us specimens, and he has accompanied them with a sketch 

 map of the locality. 



These are on the table and are— 

 No. 1 . — Found over the lead. 

 No. 2. — Pieces picked from the surface. 

 No. 3. — Soil of the surface. 

 No. 4. — Walls of the vein. 

 No. 5.— Ore. 



No. 6. — Dyke traversing the vein. 

 He has also presented an enamelled brick, found in some rums in the jun- 

 gles of the Rajmahal Hills, and a few specimens, said to be those from which 

 gold is obtained at some place in the Straits of Malacca, which, if this be 

 correct (for it is a tale of 20 years ago, as told to Captain Sherwill, by a friend) 

 is new; for they are partly copper ores, grey copper, Malachite, and copper 

 pyrites, which were not before known, I think, as being amongst the wrought 

 auriferous ores of the Straits, nor that even the iron pyrites of those localities 



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