392 Geological Report of the Beloochistan Hills. 



No minerals of any account were met with. Sulphur and alum 

 exist, but not in sufficient abundance to be of commercial value ; 

 but alum is worked further to the eastward, although not in the 

 district visited. Iron exists in small quantities ; iron pyrites abound 

 in nodular masses in the limestone, and there are gypseous veins at 

 Doza Khooshtie. When noticing the pale yellow variety of lime- 

 stone, I forgot to mention that it often contains nodular, ramified or 

 tabular masses of flint, which frequently manifest a resemblance to 

 stems of marine algae and sponges. Doza Khooshtie and Trukkee 

 are two remote points which exhibit this formation. A white mar- 

 ble, which would answer for statuary purposes, is found in the 

 Trukkee range. 



The aspect of the country is barren in the extreme, but in some 

 places there is sufficient soil to repay the cultivation. Near the 

 anticlinal axis of the first limestone range the disintegrated limestone 

 forms a good soil, which has been cultivated. The alluvium of some 

 of the valleys is also fertile, particularly that of Deyrah. The native 

 plants of this region are peculiar, but few in number, not exceeding 

 200 species. 



The hasty examination given to these mountains will, I hope, be 

 a sufficient apology for many defects in the details now furnished. 

 It requires more time than a marching soldier can command, to fol- 

 low out fully a geological inquiry in a broken and mountainous 

 country. It happened more than once that I passed over most in- 

 teresting ground during the night, and even in the day time other 

 duties often required my undivided attention. 



I cannot close this report without tendering my sincere thanks to 

 His Excellency Major-General Sir Charles Napier, G.C.B., for the 

 assistance so liberally afforded in giving me carriage for my speci- 

 mens, — an instance of regard for the interests of science rarely 

 manifested in India. — From the Quarterly Journal of the Geologi- 

 cal Society. 



