206 The Kurrukpoor Hills. [No. 3. 



A few miles to the south and situated in a dense forest is the Ghora 

 Khoor, a wide cleft in a perpendicular and naked wall of a pure white 

 and rose colored quartz, intersected in every direction with broad and 

 narrow veins of milk-white quartz ; this cleft has the appearance of 

 having been violently effected by the sudden bursting through this 

 natural barrier of a large body of water, which must have accumulated 

 in a deep valley immediately to the west or behind the wall. During 

 the rainy season the water from this valley rushes through this gap 

 with amazing fury forming a small cascade. 



Hindu tradition asserts that the wall was broken down by a blow 

 from the foot of a Rajah's horse when out hunting in these hills ; the 

 impress of whose hoof is still to be seen on the summit of the rock. 



At Pandu, a small village to the south of the hills corundum has been 

 found, but I could not discover the spot from whence it is procured. 



To the west of the hills in a valley, shale was reported as having 

 been discovered, but, as neither specimens nor locality were ever seen 

 by me, I am unable to say how far true the report may be. 

 Produce of the Kurrukpoor Hills. 

 Timber of various sizes, none very large, principally sal, sakua, 

 asun, dhao, khoombhee, muhooa, plas, sissoo, ebony, which are prin- 

 cipally used for native hut building, for ploughs, bedsteads, pestles and 

 mortars, yokes, masts for small boats and firewood ; bamboos in great 

 quantities ; several barks, dyes, gums, and grass. 



Hornblende slates ; millstones, curry-stones, iron of a good quality, 

 khari, a white earthy substance used for whitewashing buildings and 

 for ornamenting pottery. Building stones of various kinds, such as 

 claystone, massive hornblende, and hornstone ; the hornblende is also 

 used for tomb-stones, plates, dishes, sun-dials, and is much exported to 

 all the large cities ; corundum. 



A vein of argentiferous galena was discovered at the base of these 

 hills in 1847, but as the discoverer keeps the site a secret, no more can 

 be said about the matter, the ore was tested in Calcutta and found to 

 contain much silver ; a dispute about the title-deeds of the village 

 lands is the cause of the secrecy in the matter. 



A large amount of treasure is said to be hidden in the valley of the 

 Mun, deposited there during troublous times by the Rajahs of Kur- 

 rukpoor. Europeans have searched for the spot and have failed in 

 their search. 



