The Salt Mountains of IschiL 227 



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tains are about three miles to the southward of Ischil. They form 

 part of a high and broken range extending eastward and westward, 

 and in the exterior are not to be distinguished from other parts of 

 the range, the vegetation on every part being equally hixunant. 

 About half way to the summit, we arrived at the residence of the 

 superintendant, and having here obtained permission to enter the 

 mines, were conducted to a house a few hundred yards below, and 

 provided with suitable dresses. Here is one of the entrances, of 

 which there are twelve in all : they informed us that salt is found in 

 any part of the mountain where they take the trouble of digging for 

 It. Our course after entering was along a narrow horizontal gallery, 

 openings occurring at intervals, along which we beard the dashing of 

 water: at our feet were also wooden pipes for water, whh branches 

 running off into the various lateral galleries. Having proceeded a 

 quarter of a mile, we came to a halt just where some bare logs rose 

 in a slanting direction, from a cavity whose depth we could not ascer- 

 tain. A guide straddled this log, and directing me to do the same, 

 and hold on by him, he raised his feet, and away we went, sliding, 

 or rather darting down on the smooth log, and, except the glimmer- 

 ing light from our lantern, enveloped in total darkness. The guide 

 kept himself upright, and holding fast to him, I presently found my- 

 self deposited in safety on a heap of soft earth, and turned to enjoy 

 the equal astonishment and fright of my companions. We were 

 now at the bottom of a chamber of irregular shape, but averaging 

 .about one hundred and fifty feet in diameter, and from four to ten 

 feet in height ; the ceiling in some parts being supported by blocks 

 of sulphate of hme, piled up in the form of rude columns. Tbegangue 

 of the salt, if the word may be used, is composed chiefly of a clayey 

 earth, mixed up with irregular blocks of sulphate of lime : the salt 

 is mingled with these, usually in strata of from six inches to two feet 

 in thickness, forming, however, every variety, shape and direction. 

 It was generally of a reddish color, and though mixed with impuri- 

 ties, very strong. The strata were very distinct on the ceiling of the 

 chamber, which looked not unlike marbled paper, the salt itself pre- 

 senting a great variety of colors, and its gangue scarcely a smaller num- 

 , W 'rh'^e surface of the salt presented to us was rough and honey- 



combed. 



We now for the first time learnt the mining process, which cer- 

 tainly is very simple and sufficiently economical. In the first place, 



a small chamber is formed by the pick-axe and shovel, and arrange^ 



