'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎38] (53/496)

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but had never reached its destination. Such collections as these, with the Eng
lish prices and uses annexed, furnished to the collector a very valuable help in bis
enquiries. The pocket-book and specimens in question now belonged to the eco
nomic museum. Mr Southey has very lately put a large body of information on
these points before the world, in the shape of a published volume on the wools of
India and Australia.
The next specimens were those presented by Captain Del Iloste, illustrative of
the geology betwixt Viziadroog and the upper part of the Phoonda Ghaut. They
consisted mostly of trapean rocks, and minerals—the argillaceous schist itself ap
pearing to have suffered from volcanic agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. . There was one fine specimen of
iron ore, of the kind usually found associated with laterite. The vessels made of
pot stone were well finished, and exhibited very creditable workmanship. They
were famed for their strength and imperviousness to water : they improved both in
hardness and toughness by use ; they cost from a few pice to two or three annas
each. The mineral from which they are formed appears to be the common pot-
stone of the European geologist—a variety of compact talc usually found along
with serpentine. It is mentioned by Pliny as used for the manufacture of domes
tic utensils two thousand years ago. The specimen believed by Captain Del Hoste
to be granite, is either a siliceous conglomerate, or a grey variety of the silurca-
nian series of rocks; and with these, serpentine is frequently found associated.
From the aspect of the specimens, little hope of discovering any considerable mass
of sedimentary rocks betwixt the sea and the summit of the ghaut would appear to
be held out. The notes of Captain Del Hoste and Captain Christopher indicate
the importance of collections for reference purposes being made at the presi-
sidency, either as subjects of common examination and research, or for the use of
those desirous of being possessed of them.
coss. The road lies along the base of the mountains, and abounds with ravines. On the acclivl
ty is seen the pretty village of that name, surrounded by palm trees ; it is the residence of th(
miners, and contains about two hundred inhabitants, The mines, however, are about two miles
further on, but beyond this all the water is either salt or brackish, and, to reach them, we pro.
ceeded up the bed of a small nullah,, by the action of the stream of which the strata have been
well exposed. The mines, three in number, are about forty-five feet above the bed of the
stream, and have been opened 20, .30, and 35 years respectively ; the shafts are about six feet in
height and three m breadth, varying in length from 140 to 180 yards, and sunk through the red
marl, in which rock the rock salt occurs imbedded. It also contains large imbedded masses of
gypsum, which m many places are highly polished by the mere friction of the miners’ bodies in
passing and repassing. The descent is down a gradually inclined plane till we reach the princi
pal bed, when we descend into the body of the mine by steps cut in the salt. Before arriving at
the principal bed of salt however, we pass several smaller ones, varying from three to six feet in
thickness : the largest, the one now worked, is from 170 to 200 feet .
pedrfundBie middle 3 of Biebmlv^ a sma11 place of dirt y wllit e cotton cloth wrap-
the splin^rsofrocksalt^ 6 thick P i ece r ^ nd the head; and, to protect his shins from
ber Sd of a simple nature • vil n laCk W00l ! en clot1 } is worn * His tool s are few in num-
other chisels and handspike • With thp«f> 1 p mmer ’ s ^ iarp Pointed at one end and flattened at the
four^uck^mauELd^^g^O^to^^O^lbs ^^two^o/^vhich^re 1 ^ S ^f TPT '2 « from three to
removed to load oxen, &c. In removing the larr^ntn^pt catIie .y oad - Smaller masses are also
of the shafts, frequently occur. To light up the mi^e sm.U ° Wmg t0 ? ie narr owness
which are long hooks, in order to fasten them to anv nrmcWr * .lamps are used, appended to
is capable of removing from situ eigh? pucl“maunL P ^i S* g P r leCe 1°^ Salt ' The miner
per maund, but he supplies himself with tools and oil whilh WhlCh he r ir eceives an ar T a
salt out of the mine, an additional two annas is eiven’ IhWm * f °nr annas. On carrying the
vidual, who is capable of removing sixteen mfunds’per dlem^fp 16 Y° r h op another indi-
salt is conveyed to PindDadur Khan nr> con* to wn ^ camels^ bullocks* See * the
sold at the rate of a rupee per pucka maund ‘i ’ 6 soltl at the mines >) ancl tl:iere
mines in his own handsTrupee was cL“Tfor a camel lo, e d^ h f aJ ? h Kun j eet Sin « helcl tI,e
the Jummoo Rajas, he had raised pri?e to tw^ruTees Now tVe"°- t0 out . t0
from six to eight rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. and hpfnrp a ki . w tlle P ri ce of a camel load varies
eight to twenty rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. ? ’ teaching Ambala, paying hire, duty, &c„it costs from