300 Silver Lead Ores of Kurnool and [No. 8, new series. 



naces were in blast or only recently stopped, from local causes at 

 the time of my visit. 



The ore and fuel are drawn from the neighbouring hills where 

 both exist in considerable quantities, the jungle at each place in 

 these hills that I visited being most dense. 



The ore throughout appears to be of one uniform variety, viz., 

 the specular ore often micaceous ; it is mostly obtained from near , 

 the highest ridge of the ghaut and very far into the jungle, the 

 Natives dig only a few feet below the surface for it, preferring to 

 seek a new spot when the ore becomes compact and difficult to 

 extract ; this he is readily enabled to do from the extent it seems 

 distributed. 



The best qualities obtained are the rolled stones dug out of the 

 surface soil as in the action by which they have been deposited, 

 they have experienced a sorting in proportion to their specific 

 gravity and are easily gathered. 



These rolled fragments appear to exist in greater or less amount 

 over the whole of the eastern side of the hills above Roodrar. 



Amongst these hills furnaces are worked during the hot season, 

 the workmen remaining in the jungle during this time and pro- 

 ceeding to the village during the wet weather. 



The Bhoy or Hunter caste are the only men that engage in the 

 jungle work. 



The ore " in situ" exists in a vein traversing clay, slate and 

 schistose sandstone, which forms the general character of these 

 hills on their eastern side from Cuddapah to the Nundicunnama 

 ghaut. 



The ore is brought to the furnace on the backs of buffalos, the 

 charcoal by the coolies engaged in cutting and burning it ; the 

 furnace is of the form which appears to be universally copied in 

 the various Iron districts of India, and is described in the reports 

 of the Madras Museum. 



Sultanpett. 

 Varsapoor. 

 Serinapoor. 



Roodrar. 

 Kumbulnoor. 

 Madaypoor. 

 Gallchinpollium. 



Kuddamal Callwa. 



