The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-11-28
NlsHAPuR TURQUOISE MINES.
lazy Methods by Which the Stones Ara
Gotten Out-Jewels That Fade.

lazy Methods by winch the STONES A<N
Gotten ut-Jewe That Fade.
The famous turquoise mines of Nish-
apur in northern Persia, are believed
to be the only turquoise mines in the
world which have been worked extern
sively or which have produced the tur-
quoise of perfect shape and color. On
approaching the mines from Nisha-
pur, after entering the low hills and
gradually ascending, one arrives first
at the villages inhabited by the miners,
which are on undulating ground about
5000 feet above sea level. After IN
other gradual ascent for about a mile
by a very good road the foot of a hill
about 1000 feet in height is reached.
All the mines are on the south face
of this hill, and from the first to the
last the distance as the crow flies is
not more than half a mile. The Relish
mine, which is the only n worked
on a large scale or with vigor, produces
the greater part of the ~turquoises at
present sent to market. 1t is near the
top of one of the highest ridges, at
an altitude of about 5000 feet above
sea level. The entrance is a followed
out cave, about IL yards across, with
a vertical shaft some five yards in di-
ameter. Two men were reclining at
tile mouth of this shaft with their
backs against the wall of the cave, and
turning with their bare feet a riekety
wooden wheel, which brought up the
debris from below in a small sheepskin
bag holding no more than a peck, per-
haps. This was received by a third
nun, who unlocked, emptied and re-
attached it. The other two men re-
moved their feet, and the bag went
down with a run some 40 feet, where
three ether men were similarly en-
gagged on 4 ledge in the shaft. The
mlEe itself is so or 90 feet from the
surface. The miners first descend by
means Of q narrow diagonal tunnel,
and then scramble down the rough
sides Of the shaft.
At the mouth of the cave, which is
on the precipitous hillside, half a dozen
men were seated close together OIL a
ledge, breaking with small hammers
the fragments of rock as they were
brought up from below. When a tur-
quoise was discovered it was placed on
one SHE in its rough state, encased in
rock, and sent to Meshed. Unfortu-
nately, though the mine is very pro-
ductive, and the t%urquoises of good
shape, their color soon goes. Since the
Abdur Rezai mine fell in it may be
said that the stones of perfect shape
and color are very rarely found. Bat,
though really good t~urquoises are rare,
there is abundance of imperfect and
bad stones, which are eagerly bought,
for all orientals prize them, and the
very poorest like to possess even a green
api spotted one set in a tin ring. 1t
is more than likely, however, that the
hill contains an abundance of good
Some of these now found look
at first, but the color in most
cases soon fades, or a green tinge is
developed, or spots appear on them.
of these white spots can only
detected at first with a glass, and
as a mere speck, but in time they
may expand and spread right across
the stone. The color of most faded
t%urquoises can be temporarily revived
by dampness. In Meshed no one would
dream of buying a turquoise of good
color without possessing it first FOR
some days, for it is the most treacher-
ous of all precious stones. The tur-
q~uoises, as soon as they are cut in
Meshed, are nearly all sold at once
export, and their price in the town
rises at least 1000 per cent. Some
years ago one could obtain in Meshcd
good t~urquoises of perfect shape, fine
color, fair size, and without a flaw for
4 few shillings each. T~urquoises are at
far cheaper at Tifiis and Con-
'tantinople than at Meshed, and at those
one might perhaps find some Of
rood color which have been in stock for
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