604 Notes on Geology and Mineralogy of Affghanistan. 



It is used by dyers as a mordant, and is besides an article 

 of materia medica, being given to infants as an aperient. 



30. Arsenic, or Hartal. It is procured from Herat, and 

 sells in Candahar at 12 annas per seer. It is used by house- 

 painters. 



31. Lapis Lazuli, or Lajword. This mineral is brought 

 from Sadmoneir and Bijour, where it is said to occur in 

 masses and nodules imbedded in other rocks. It likewise 

 occurs in the Huzzarah mountains, from whence 1 received 

 a small specimen from Major Lynch. It is said to exist 

 near Kilat. It sells on the spot from 2 to 5 Co.'s rupees 

 per seer, and after it has undergone the process of cleaning, 

 and is made into ultramarine, it sells at 80 to 100 Co.'s 

 rupees per seer. It is used in house painting, and book 

 illuminating. 



32. Sulphate of Lime, or Gutch. This is apparently due 

 to the action of sulphuric acid on the calcareous earth con- 

 tained in the alluvial soil ; it is dug out of the plain, about 

 two miles from the Cabul gate of the city. It occurs about 

 three feet below the surface, and forms a thick bed beneath 

 the alluvium, containing pebbles of trap, clay-slates (of the 

 trap,) and limestone. It is burnt to lime, and used as a 

 plaster in the buildings of the city ; it hardens almost imme- 

 diately, and is very tenacious and durable. Fibrous, foli- 

 ated and compact gypsum is found in the Shawl district and 

 other parts of the country, and are all used for lime. 



It now only remains to notice the general features of the 

 country, which may be thus briefly described. In traversing 

 the southern portion of Affghanistan from Dadur towards 

 Herat, a succession of mountain ranges occur, running nearly 

 parallel with each other, and pursuing a direction from N. 

 E. to S. W. ; these, with the exception of a few peaks, are 

 usually of inconsiderable elevation, and present bare un- 

 wooded masses of a black and sombre aspect, consisting for 

 the most part of limestones and volcanic rocks. Between these 



