1849.] Trip to Pind Dadud Khan and the Salt Range* 667 



England, and on various parts of the continent, especially along the 

 Rhine. I had the fortune to-day to discover about a dozen species 

 of fossil shells and several other fossils of great interest, of all which 

 and of the strata of the range a collection has been made. In the 

 shales containing the coal a quantity of a luminous earth and iron 

 pyrites exists, from which the alum of commerce could be obtained. 

 Crystals of sulphate of magnesia were found in connection with the 

 alum shales and specimens preserved. Returned to Pind Dadud Khan 

 at sunset. 



March 22nd. — Pind Dadud Khan. — Received visits from Missers 

 Rula Ram and Gyan Chand, who have yielded me every assistance in 

 their power in the prosecution of my investigation of the range of hills. 

 Visited the mint here, which is under the superintendence of the for- 

 mer. Silver is collected in all directions in the shape of old rupees, 

 bangles and silver ornaments, which after being refined are converted 

 into the new Lahore Rupee. At present the silver from which rupees 

 are being manufactured, are Mahmoud Shah Rupees from the Hazara 

 and countries to the north, and of the value of about 12 annas. These 

 contain copper and lead, which is separated from them previous to 

 their being converted into the new rupees. This is effected by the 

 process of cupellation, and which is performed in a very simple but 

 effective way. A hole is dug in the earth according to the size of the 

 cupel to be made, into this hole a quantity of wood ashes is thrown, 

 moistened with water and wrought up into a saucer-shaped vessel, its 

 sides projecting above the level of the ground. On these are placed 

 two pieces of fire clay so as to increase the depth of the cupel and 

 encircle its mouth, except for about 3 inches at one side, in which is 

 inserted the mouth of a tube connected with a mussuck to act as a 

 bellows. This apparatus being prepared, the cupel is filled with char- 

 coal, on which after it is ignited the silver to be refined is thrown, and 

 in the case of the Mahmoud Shah Rupees, an equal weight of lead is 

 thrown in along with them so as during its oxidation to carry all the 

 copper into the substance of the cupel, and leave the pure silver behind. 

 The experiment we saw performed was on Rs. 1000, and the operation 

 was finished in two hours, during which time an intense heat was kept up 

 by the bellows. The lead and copper are afterwards extracted from the 

 cupel by ordinary means, and contain a little silver, probably in conse- 



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