6 
On the Minerals of the 
[Jan. 
digging, that could not be ascertained. On the edge of what I took to be the crater 
of Kangreswarikatok, I found a stone, which appeared to me to be volcanic sand 
conglutinated ; and the resemblance between this stone and the siliceous concrete 
that is often incumbent on the khari , is very strong. This, together with the cir- 
cumstance of the vein of khari contained in the slag of Mansa Chandi, seem to 
imply an extension of the operations of fire over the whole of this mineral division 
of the district. 
I have said, that Kangreswarikatok, on the western extremity of this range, to- 
wards Parsanda, appears to me to have been the crater of a volcano 8 . It is a coni- 
cal hill, about 300 feet in perpendicular height, and very steep on all sides. On 
reaching the summit, you find that it consists of a great cavity, surrounded by a 
thin ledge, and descending to very near the level of the plain. The ledge now is of 
unequal heights, having in some places given way, especially towards the east, 
where a gap, about 30 yards wide at the bottom, gives access from the outer plain 
with very little ascent, and allows the water from the cavity to escape. Towards 
the summit, the inner surface of the ledge consists of abrupt rocks, but the bottom is 
filled with the debris of the portions of the ledge that have fallen. Much slaggy mat- 
ter is to be found, both on the outside of the hill, and in the bottom of the cavity. 
I have not observed any other place that appeared to me to have any resemblance 
to a crater ; but many such may exist, as I could examine only a veiy inconsider- 
able number of the hills, and as it was by the mere chance of having been detained 
by a rainy day, and being idle, that I visited Kangreswarikatok. 
I was informed by Isfundiyar Khan, a fine young man, assistant to the Suzawul, 
who manages the hill tribes, that about five years ago he heard of a smoke that 
issued from a hill named Chapar Bhita, about seven coss S. E. from Karariya. 
He visited the place, which was not hollow, and consisted, as usual, of earth mixed 
with a great many fragments of stone. In the day it was not luminous ; but that 
a thin smoke issued continually from a space about 8 or 10 cubits in’diameter. 
He heard, that in the night it was luminous ; but he did not see it in that state. 
On throwing wood upon the hot place, in a few minutes it took fire. These appear- 
ances continued for about three years, and then stopt. When I heard this account 
I had long passed Karariya, otherwise I should have certainly attempted to visit the 
spot, although the distance was represented as 12 or 14 miles, and the road imprac- 
ticable for any sort of conveyance. 1 
In this range of hills I saw no traces of pyrites, coal, nor other inflammable sub 
stance. I have, however, been informed, that at Motijharna, on the hills near Saka- 
Z to” 1 alS ° rece * ed ^n g after I 
had several opportunist knowing ' 1 
Besides the slaggy detached masses that are scattered fi 
mineral range, there are two other classes of spo“oXs Z *“*" ° f ‘ hiS 
not on the higher hills, so far as I saw but t tiJ! S' l™’ ^ are ver > r common, 
very often on the plains that are interred °° tS ’ ° r “ ^ >° W 1 ““ 3 > « 
The first of these sporadic masses, that I shall 
usually found scattered over surfaces, intermingled I ,| T’ “ re Sll ' Ceous ’ and are 
imperfect khari, and I suspect owe their origin m th \ fr ? ments 0t whin sla S al,d 
I found them at the bottom of Gadai-Tunm,; , Ti ° *** U "' lc '' a fusin = heat ’ 
of Partapur, but above al, on the road from s 7”’ "" the lr °'' " d “ e 
whole of its extent, which is about 14 miles iust'-7! l ° Ma j hua ’ for almost the 
° " 1S ra, “«'al range. Many transitions or inter r ™ ntre of the northern part 
8 T t would be very desimblo t 1 ^ ^ States ’ bet " r een the three 
Gl - 016 Particular description of this place.- 
