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cation of that metal, of great importance: had we wanted confirmation of this report from our guides, the large masses of ferruginous matter we saw on approaching the hills would have been a sufficient evidence. On attaining the summit we opened on a prospect of an amazing extent of mountains or hills, though not one was entirely detached from another; we found ourselves afterwards suddenly descend to a great depth by one of the most perpendicular roads I ever passed, partly over loose stones, but more over smooth rocks, slippery as glass, on which our horses might literally be said to slide down, in a very dangerous manner. This brought us into a valley with a little verdure, which was soon succeeded by rocky hills and immense masses of solid rock; the whole forming the bed of a river, which in a few places afforded stagnant water, to which we eagerly hastened, that our exhausted cattle might refresh themselves: we found it so strongly impregnated with iron as to be scarcely drinkable. All the surrounding rocks contained ore, of which we carried off several specimens, as the produce of the iron rocks in the Gwalier purgunna. In the midst of these unfrequented wilds 1 discovered a hole in one of the rocks: thinking it might lead to an excavation of sculptured rocks like the Elephanta, and possibly throw some light on the scene, I ascended a rugged and steep height, and to my great disappointment found only a wretched hole, just large enough for its inhabitant, a poor half-starved fakeer, passing his life in solitude and penance.

Proceeding from thence we ascended another rocky eminence, and beheld a pleasant valley, in which stood the large walled town of Berye, with its ghurry or citadel, the ruins of some old

pagodas, and the shining domes of new temples, interspersed among verdant scenery, altogether presenting a scene to which we had not lately been accustomed. Here we encamped after a fatiguing journey of seventeen miles; although the heat was intense, and the thermometer in my palanquin at 102°, at two in the afternoon, I walked out out to view the place, and gain what intelligence I could respecting the iron works, which I knew would be deserted later in the evening. The scattered ruins were all of Hindoo architecture; one was a large circle, containing a smaller one, surrounded by a gallery covered with neat domes. The outer circle of buildings had most probably been allotted for the accommodation of travellers, but were now inhabited by a few half-starved wretches, covered with dirt and tatters. From thence going round the fort, which had a few towers of a conical form, I came to one of those dark-looking banks near the entrance of the town, where I entered a blacksmith's house, who received me with great civility, and in the course of our conversation, I found I had made a mistake in supposing that the rocks and hills of a ferruginous appearance furnished a quantity of iron ore; on the contrary it was extracted from another kind of earth, called lohaka mittee, or iron earth, which was only to be procured at one hill, seven miles distant. It was purchased on the spot by traders in that article, and brought for sale to Berye, Dewoy, Mohuna, Gwalier, and Nerwar, where the ore was extracted, and the metal worked by the smiths for sale far and near, at least as far as the want of an inland navigation would admit of. My host further informed me, that the greatest number of smiths, and those of superior ability, lived at a place called Maggeronee, four miles.

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from Nerwar; that this iron-earth was sold at the mines for two pice, or one penny for a bullock-load, and was delivered to the smiths at Baroy, seven miles from the spot, at the rate of two rupees and a half for a hundred maunds, or about six shillings for nearly three thousand pounds weight of earth. Each bullockload of earth, purchased at the mines for two pice, produced on an average twenty-five seers of iron, certainly above twenty pounds English weight.

This very low price of earth, and the great proportion of metal it contains, renders the value of iron extremely cheap; yet not so much so, as from these circumstances might be expected: this is accounted for from the great scarcity of charcoal, without which nothing can be done; none can be procured nearer than twelve miles, and there it sells for half a rupee the bullock load. The smith whom I first visited conducted me to several other forges; the process was the same in all, and the same weight of metal was generally extracted from the same quantity of iron earth. He also procured a guide to attend us to the mines, as soon as the moon arose the next morning. We then set off about two o'clock, and leaving the Gwalier road on the left, traversed a cultivated plain for three miles, until we reached a village called Naigow, where we found a number of smiths working at this early hour. Our guide expressing some doubts respecting the road to the mines, they readily supplied us with another, who leaving all regular paths led us over a wild scene of hills and dales until about five miles further we reached the mines just as the day dawned, time enough to see several loads of iron earth drawn up by torch light. I have not language to convey an adequate idea of the scene.

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The darkness of the morning, the gloomy lights in the deep shafts of the mines, the black dirty miners, the shouts of the drivers, and noise of the bullocks, with the savage aspect of the surrounding hills, altogether produced an extraordinary spectacle.

I questioned the miners, here called doharrees or loharrees, on many points respecting the mines, and obtained the following information. The person who has the chief management of these mines, is the amull of Santow, in whose district is another town called Cherowray; each of these places is about two miles distant, in different directions from the spot we now visited. The mines therefore are indiscriminately called the Santoo mines, and the Cherowray mines; although in fact there are none at either of those places, but being under the same amuldhar, they are so named. Most of the hills in the adjacent country bearing a great similarity in external appearance to those where the iron earth is found, it is natural to suppose it would be found in many others; but it is not so, for in these hills only, and not in all of them, is this valuable earth to be met with, and chiefly in the hollow top of a certain hill, in the centre of many others, extending near two miles on every side of it. The earth which produces the iron ore is found in the hollow of this central hill, and not in the sides; there none is to be seen. There are now seven mines at work; the remains of many more which have fallen in, and the traces of others that have been attempted without success: the whole space does not appear to exceed four or five hundred square yards.

The entrance to each mine, and its descent to the bottom, form a kind of cylinder large enough to admit of the miners descending and ascending, in the manner adopted by the English chimney

sweepers, that of setting their back against one side, and their feet against the other; the rope to which the basket containing the earth is attached, being given into their hands as an assistance and security; although this rope is not affixed to any thing above, but held fast by one of the miners standing firmly on it near the precipice.

In searching for the earth they seldom go lower than twenty feet, at which depth if they do not succeed, they abandon the spot and try another; when successful, they work to the depth of thirty feet, and then proceed laterally. On being repeatedly asked, they all persisted in affirming that a mine seldom stood longer than three months; and numbers were destroyed by their falling in sooner. The Vanjarrees are the principal merchants. who purchase the earth, but others of various castes occasionally deal in it. It is so abundant, that (contrary to the information given by the smiths) we found it sold on the spot at two pice, or one penny, for eight maunds of twenty-eight pounds each. The loading of each bullock was one pice. About twelve seer of iron was extracted from a maund of earth. None of the earth is kept ready dug for sale, either within or without the mines; it is only worked out when demanded: there are seven mines, and about fifty bullocks on an average are daily loaded. The workmen are not regularly in the pay of government, but are hired at the mines, and are paid for lading the bullocks by the merchants; a person appointed by government constantly attends to receive the price of the earth from the merchants.

Taking off my clothes, I descended into the largest mine, not more than thirty feet deep, but extending in four different shafts,

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