'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME I' [‎260r] (536/820)

' MAD—MAD
499
4. Darreh-i-Siah.
5. Darreh-i-Sabz.
6. Darreh-i-Kamar
7. Darreh-i-Khiiruji.
The oldest and the most important turquoise mines were the (1) Ahd-ur-
Razaq and the"'(2) Surkh, (3) Shahpardar and (4) Aqali mines, but these
have all been filled up by careless working and are unworkable now, except
at great outlay which no contractor ventures to incur, not being sure of being
allowed to retain the contract to the end of his term.
The most important mine now worked by the contractor is the Zak-i-
tJHa (upper Zak) mine, situated in the Darreh-i-Safid. Out of the two
other mines situated in the same darreh the Zak-i-Sufleh (lower Zak) is filled
up and unworkable ; the MIrza Ahmadi is sub-let to the miners, who work
it themselves. All these are old mines.
Out of the mines situated in the Darreh-i-Kuh, only one is worked at pre
sent. It is called Danaki and is sub-let to the miners. The Karbalai,
Karimi and other mines in this ravine are deserted, because it does not pay
to work them.
The ’Ali Mlrzai and Ra’ish mines situated in the Darreh-i-Siah are sub-let
to the miners who are working them at present.
The contractor is working only one new mine in this ravine, which is
called the Gaudal-i-Karbalal Hasan.
Out of the mines situated in the Darreh-i-Sabz, the Abi and the Anjirl
are subject to the miners, and the contractor works only one mine called
Chiragh Kush, a branch of the Andalani, the most important old mine
in this ravine, which is filled up and deserted at present.
The mine in the Darreh-i-Kamar which yielded ’ arabl turquoises is filled
up with water, and cannot be worked now.
The Khuruji mines are also neglected at present, as it does not pay to
work them.
To sum up, the Mirza Ahmadi, ’Ali Mirzai, Ra’ish, Abi, Anjiri mines, and
about half a dozen other minor ones are sub-let by the contractor for about
1,500 tumans per annum, and the only mines worked by the present contrac
tor himself are the (1) Zak-i-Ulia, (2) Chiragh Kush, and (3) Gaudal-i-
Karbalai Hasan.
These mines are worked for twelve hours daily (9 a.m. to 9 p.m.) by two
sets of workmen. Each set consists of four classes of workmen, viz. :—
The Zdbit, or overseer, on 3 krdns a day.
The Ustad, or workman, on 1J to 2 krdns a day.
The Amala, or cooly, on | to 1 krdn a day.
The Fala, or inferior cooly, on | to | kran a day.
The overseer superintends the working of three or four workmen, a\d
collects the stones.
The workman excavates the rock.
The cooly removes and carries the debris from the mine to the open.