302 WYNNE : GEOLOGY OF THE SALT EANGE IN THE PUNJAB. 



in vats with water. The solution obtained is drawn off and allowed to 

 deposit any mud it may hold. This process is repeated, and then the 

 liquid is boiled with an impure alkaline salt called jamsan obtained by 

 lixiviation from JcuUer, the sulphate and carbonate of soda efflorescence 

 so common in the country. It is afterwards allowed to settle and 

 slowly crystallize, the crystals being removed, washed, dried, and melted 

 in iron pans in their own water of crystallization; the fluid is then 

 transferred into earthen ovoid jars for eight or ten days to re-crystallize ; 

 after this time the mass, which is generally hollow, is tapped and the 

 unerystallized alum solution drained ofiF, when the jars are broken and 

 the alum is ready for sale. 



This account has been abbreviated from Dr. Fleming's, which, on 

 comparison, was found to possess his general accuracy of observation. 



Kahi Mitti. 

 A shale containing sulphate of iron and alumina, probably from the 



Chita Wan, near Ghari, in the Salt Range, is 

 Kahi mitti. . • »■ 



mentioned in Mr. Baden-Po well's work already 



quoted. It is most likely that these shales are part of the soft alum 



shale group just below the nummulitic beds. At all events, some 



shales associated with the black alum-shales are said to contain 



silky crystals of anhydrous protosulphate of iron. The shale is 



pounded and mixed with the mother liquid from the crystallization 



of the alum, after which the mixture is allowed to dry in the sun 



and again treated in the same way, the substance thus obtained assumes 



a tawny yellow colour, and consists of a mixture of alum and sulphate 



of iron, the latter largely predominating. This is called kahi, and is 



used in dying leather or cloth grey or black."^ The black mud of 



the sulphurous springs in the Bakh ravine is also used (in this way 



probably) by dyers. 



* Economic Resources of the Panjab, p. 67. Mr, Baden -Powell (1, c, p. 11) gives 

 the price at 7 tolahs 10 mashas to 10 tolahs per rupee. 



( 303 ) 



