3793. on borax. 23 
<The provinces of Thibet in particular, and Cafhemire seem to be 
very peculiarly circumstanced, in regard to soul, situation, climate, 
* and productions of the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms ; 
on which account any farther authentic information from thence 
will prove very acceptable. 
Dear Sir, 
In compliance with your request, I will now 
give you all the information I am able concerning 
the formation of borax, at the solicitation of M. Vo- 
ghet, a German naturalist. ] was some years ago ins 
duced to inquire after this production, and for this 
purpose I wrote to the brother of the Raja of Ne- 
paul, Bahadur Sab, on the subject, as our mifsionaries 
had not for many years visited the province of Nepaul, 
which extends towards the north as far as the frontiers 
of Thibet. The Raja’s brother, for the better satisfy- 
ing my curiosity, sent me down to Patna, one of his 
own servants, a native of that part of the country 
where borax is found. This man then, who 
spoke the Nepaleze language, and which I pertect- 
ly understood, answered to my different questions in 
the following manner : 
In the province of Marmé, about twenty-eight days 
to the north of Nepaul and twenty-five days to the 
west of Lafsa, there is a valley about eight miles im 
circumference. On the district of this valley there 
are two villages, the one called Sczerugh,and the other 
Kangle. The whole occupation of the inhabitants 
of those two places is of digging out the borax, and 
to carry it to,Nepaul, or Thibet, where it is sold. 
The soil of that valley is so barren that only a few 
* scattered reeds are to be seen. ‘The natives of Nex 
