104 REPORT—1852. 
themselves, at the base of which there is much sulphate of soda and some carbonate, 
and a little higher up large quantities of gypsum. Ascending, a broken mountainous 
country is attained, where, on account of it receiving some rain, coarse pastures, 
Cacti and some brushwood are met with ; here saline matters would be found, but that 
the rains wash them into the lower country. In this district there are gold and cop- 
per veins in abundance ; and on examination, it is thought that Lavadero or grain-gold 
will be met with: and there are extensive plains in the Andes, at 14,000 and 15,000 
feet, out of which rise ridges and knots of mountains; that of Lirima is supposed to 
be 24,000 to 25,000 feet above the sea. 
In this Andean volcanic region there is among others a great salt deposit known as 
the Pampa de Sal: it is a few miles to the east of the volcano and town of Isluga. The 
volcano is in 19° 12'S., 68° 50'W. The volcano and salt plain was first made known 
in Europe by Messrs. Bollaert and Smith in 1827; and it was on beholding so large a 
collection of salt in the elevated position of nearly 15,000 feet, that so strongly im- 
pressed Mr. Bollaert with the idea that we ought to look for the origin of the greater 
portions of saline materials to direct volcanic sources. 
This Pampa de Sal extends to near Potosi, varying in breadth from 3 to 8 leagues, 
the saline matters being 8 to 10 inches thick. In this elevated region there are 
many lakes, some containing fish. Many of these lakes are salt; how can they be 
otherwise, when saline bodies exist in more elevated regions, ejected in all probability 
from craters and fissures, the whole country being pre-eminently volcanic? In this 
way we may reasonably account for the large quantities of fossil salt in the mountains 
of Chili, Peru, Mexico, and in those of the United States; also in the more elevated 
portions of Europe, Asia and Africa ; and the melting of snows and rains would wash 
much of this soluble material into the sea. 
Observations on the Euphrates Line of Communication with India. 
By Colonel Cursney, R.A., D.CL., PRS. 
In compliance with the request of a distinguished member of the British Asso- 
ciation, Dr. Robinson, whose continued interest in the subject of the Euphrates line 
of communication with India is a source of extreme gratification to me, I have put 
together a few observations for the purpose of showing,—Ist, what was the past 
state of the overland communication with India; and 2ndly, what may be done to 
accelerate if not to perfect this intercourse. 
Had not the want of the means promised by Government prevented the appear- 
ance of the remainder of my work, it would have been unnecessary for me now to 
enter upon the subject of our communication with the East, since the succeeding 
volumes would have contained all the details of the Expedition. 
The use of the overland route dates almost from the discovery of India itself. 
We find that the far-seeing Elizabeth maintained a fleet at Bir to facilitate trade 
along the Euphrates, which being then the high road to India, was constantly made 
use of by Balbi, Fitch, and others, who had occasion to pass by that line with mer- 
chandize. The route from Europe was by Alexandretta and Aleppo to Bir on the 
Euphrates, whence the goods were carried by boats, partly for the use of the inha- 
bitants of the country, and partly for India, whither the products of Europe were 
conveyed at this period, by way of the Persian Gulf. 
Space and time will not permit us to discuss the latter subject, but I may remind 
you that in the time of Herodotus, Mesopotamia was the most productive country 
in the world; and as it still retained a portion of its commercial wealth at the 
period of which we have just been speaking, this route was but the continuation, 
or rather the remains of the trade, of Tyre, Sidon, Egypt, &c., and not, as has been 
frequently imagined, the adoption by the Levant Company, of a new and shorter 
line than that by the Cape of Good Hope. 
Up to the time when the East India Company ceased to trade, Bushire, Bassorah, 
and Baghdad, were productive seats of commerce. But although their value to 
England has greatly diminished in consequence of the cessation of the commercial 
intercourse which previously existed, I may just observe, that it appears from official 
returns (which are given in my work), that the trade between India and the Persian 
Gulf is still about two millions annually. 
—_—— 
