ta.

The ascent to the summit of the Saindak mountain well repays the
traveller for the exertion of getting there, and that not only on
account of its geological formation. Looking over the lower mountains one
obtained a magnificent view of the Afghan desert as far as the eye could
see, to the north-west and north-east, while to the west lay a mountain
mass, the Mirjawa mountains, and innumerable sand hills. To the
south-south-west towered above everything the double-humped active
volcano of Kuh-i-Daftan, with its snow-capped crater. It was smoking,
notwithstanding the ridiculous theory entertained by some F.R.G.S. that
volcanoes cannot exist so far south in the Northern Hemisphere! We saw
this volcano for several days and it threw up considerable volumes of
smoke. At night it occasionally had quite a glow above its crater.

The volcano, I need not say, is in Persian territory, and is some 60
miles distant, as the crow flies, from Saindak, although in the clear
atmosphere it does not appear more than a few miles off. It is a most
impressive mountain.

Parallel ridges of sand hills, facing east, were to be seen to the
south-west of the Saindak mountain, and then a wide flat plain, beyond
which four successive mountain ranges, formed a powerful barrier. To the
south-east also were high mountains.

On the top of the mountain we came upon some of the holes that contain
lead and _Surmah_ or _Surf_--a substance much used by women in Persia,
Afghanistan, Beluchistan and India for blackening the lashes and lower
eyelids. Surmah was plentiful enough, especially between two layers of
perpendicular rock, and also in surface pebbles when split open.
Calcareous rock with galena was to be found, besides fragments of
calcite, gypsum, and slag.

It appeared that the natives must at some time have tried to exploit
these mines in a primitive manner, for there were many holes bored all
over the top of the mountain, and near them bits of coal embedded in
slag. These excavations were generally bored in mounds of yellow earth,
or, rather, the mounds were of that colour because of the earth which had
been extracted from the borings, the colour of the surrounding earth and
rock being grey and black. Lead filaments in brittle layers were also
noticeable mixed with the earth. Two inches below the ground one found,
on digging, a thick deposit of salt and gypsum.

My camels with loads had made an early start, and on my returning to camp
som