Only two mines of lead are at present wrought, because all the metal is reserved for the Raja’s magazines; but, so far as I can learn, lead is found in a great many places quite on the surface. These, however, are concealed with care by those who observe them, and who are thus able to work in private.
Colonel Kirkpatrick { 78a} was informed, that the people, owing to want of skill, could not smelt their lead ore, and procured the metal from Patna; but it would be extraordinary, if a people who could smelt iron and copper, should be unable to smelt lead. He, in the same place, observes, that the lead of Nepal, as usual, contains silver.
Colonel Kirkpatrick had received information of mines of antimony and mercury, but considered the information vague. I am well assured of the existence of the latter in the form of a native cinnabar, which is called _Sabita_ by the natives, and is exported to the low country for sale.
The position of such of the mines as have come to my knowledge, will be seen in the maps.
Mines of sulphur are said to be numerous in these regions. Colonel Kirkpatrick { 78b} says, that the government of Gorkha was obliged to desist from working them, on account of their deleterious qualities. This was probably owing to an admixture of arsenic, which he says is also found.
Corundum of the compact kind, such as is found in the western provinces under the presidency of Bengal, is called Kurran by the Hindus of the mountains, and is found in great quantities on the hills of Isma and Musikot; and at Kathmandu, I was shown some of a coarse nature, said to be brought from the surrounding mountains; but what is most esteemed in that capital is said to come from Thibet. In both the Company’s territory and in Nepal, it is always found in detached rounded masses lying on the surface, but often of considerable size. In Nepal, these masses seldom exceed four or five pounds, but in the Company’s provinces they are much larger.
I saw masses of the Agalmatolite, used in China to make images, and in Ava for pencils. They were said to be brought from the mountains in the vicinity of Kathmandu.
I have seen very fine specimens of Talc brought from Nepal as a medicine; but I have no information concerning the place where it is found.