Farther west is the " Derreh-i-Siyah, " or black valley, with the old Ah Mirzai and Eeish
mines. The Ah Mirzai, especially the lower one of that name, is very dangerous, owing to the
softness of its wall rock, which often falls into the mine. The turquoises here obtained are
neither of good quahty nor of permanent color. A httle to the south of the Ah Mirzai mine
Hes the Khuruj mine, very extensive, but partly filled and abandoned. About 1820 it pro-
duced some very good stones. Near the top of the Reish mine a vein of turquois was dis-
covered about 1880 and a new mine opened into it, with the name of Sar-i-Reish (the head of
the Reish). Turquoises were obtained of fine color and large size, which preserved their color
while damp, but upon drying assumed a dirty-green shade with white and gray spots. A stone
of fine color as large as a walnut was found in this mine in 1881 and presented to the Shah
of Persia; it had scarcely been in His Majesty's possession two days when it faded and became
valueless.
