Notes on Geology and Mineralogy of Afghanistan, 589 



is said to ooze in thick drops from a lofty peak of limestone, 

 but dries into a hard earthy substance on exposure to the 

 air ; it possesses a strong and rather unpleasant bituminous 

 odour ; is of brown colour, and earthy texture, when dry 

 from exposure to the air, and is called by the A Afghans 

 Momiaye ; it is also met with in Persia, and known there by 

 the same name. The mineral appears to be earthy bitumen 

 or maltha, and is doubtless connected with the trap forma- 

 tion. The AfFghans, who are great lovers of the marvellous, 

 ascribe all sorts of virtues to this substance, and declare, 

 among other absurdities, that if a broken limb be well plas- 

 tered round with the fresh mineral, a cure will be effected 

 without fail in a few days. 



A dolomitic limestone of a yellow colour and granular 

 structure, occurs in veins in the limestone rocks, and when 

 of a dark green shade, which is sometimes the case, is high- 

 ly prized, and worked into beads and cups ; it is reported 

 that a single bead of a fine clear green, and about the size 

 of a large pea, has often been sold for 100 rupees ; in 

 general the colour varies from green to yellow, with occa- 

 sional veins of pure white, and the stone is always in repute 

 among the Mahometans, who make rosaries of the beads, a 

 string of which usually sells from eight annas to a rupee. 



It is remarkable, that from the Kojeh Amram range to 

 beyond the Helmund at Greeshk, there is always in every 

 valley a thick stratum, more or less deep seated beneath the 

 superficial alluvium, of a hard compact conglomerate, the 

 matrix of which is calcareo-arenaceous, and contains pebbles 

 and boulders of various sizes, from a pea to a cannon-shot, 

 and all rounded and water-worn. This conglomerate is 

 laid open by a river bed at Melmandeh, and is again seen 

 at Greeshk, where it forms undulating plains of great extent, 

 and is deeply cut through by the Helmund, whose banks 

 are composed of it. It is probable, that this conglomerate 

 and that of the Bolan Pass may date from the same period. 



