1856.] Economic Geology of Assam. 333 



In lower Assam the Garrow Haths of Pulashbarree and Gohaiu 

 supplied iron hoes, manufactured by the Cossyahs ; and these were 

 largely imported into Upper Assam for Government purposes. 

 This iron from its soft or malleable nature was considered the 

 best for the manufacture of nails, fire-arms of small size, and the 

 inner tubes of the large cannon ; the iron of the Upper Assam 

 ores being found best adapted for swords, axes, knives, shovels 

 and hoes, &c. 



At Teeroogong hill and Hattighur thirty or forty workshops 

 were established for the smelting of the ores, and manufacture of 

 crude iron. These workshops consisted of a master and four workmen, 

 who could, in twenty-four hours, turn out eight pieces of crude iron, 

 similar to the sample now sent. The forges commenced operations 

 in the beginning of the cold, or dry season, and continued in work 

 for six months, when the manufactured iron of the season from these 

 localities was delivered into the Government storehouses. 



The ferruginous sands of Bosa Doyung are deposited in plastic 

 clay, in detached beds of variable size, and scattered over a wide 

 expanse of both undulating and level country. The beds con- 

 taining the iron oxide being found at a depth of 10, 12, 15 and 

 16 cubits under the surface. 



To find the beds containing this ore some little prospecting is 

 necessary, and the work generally takes from four to five days (vide 

 table No. 1). The bed being found, six men are employed as follows. 

 Two men dig out the lumps containing the oxide, a third takes these 

 and places them at the passage of entrance into the pit, a fifth* takes 

 them outside, and the sixth forms them into a large rectangular- 

 shaped heap 12 cubits long, 7 broad, and from 3 to 4 cubits high,, 

 and thus in about ten days, the labours of six men have collected in 

 this heap about one thousand maunds of the ore bearing clay. 



The heap is now divided into seven shares, which gives one share 

 to the landlord, leaving six shares to be divided amongst the work- 

 ing party. The next process is the washing out of the ore, and 

 this is accomplished in a large pit filled with water into which the 

 lumps are thrown, and the separation of the ore is effected by stamp-- 



* The fourth remains unaccounted for. — Ed. 



