EXTENSION OR NON-EXTENSION OF THE SALT BEYOND THIS DISTRICT. 71 



It is confidently asserted by the natives of the frontier tract that 

 neither Speenki (gypsum) nor Malga (salt) occur in this Waziri country, 

 nor anywhere westward of the frontier line, yet Dr. Verchere, in his 

 geological paper to the Asiatic Society, already quoted, refers (at page 

 20, 1867,) to red marl and gypsum at the hot springs of Sir Oba* 

 (probably Sar-Obae, west of Bannu), which may belong either to the 

 salt series of this country or of the Salt Range; perhaps the latter. 



The existence of marl and gypsum, however, would be no evidence 

 that salt was also present, though of course the exposure of its associated 

 rocks would, in the absence of better information, favour the possibility 

 of its discovery. 



The tertiary sandstones, clays, &c, have evidently a wide extension, 

 westward of this district, and if the lower part of the series was 

 anywhere exposed,, the accidental or natural fall of a cliff or stream 

 bank might bring salt into view, there being no reason why it should 

 not occur in other places as well as within this district, nor can 

 precise limits be assigned to such salt deposits in any particular direction 

 on general geological grounds. 



It would be otherwise if the salt occurred in unconformable out- 

 lying patches, the remains of larger deposits, which might have been 

 denuded from off the face of the country. Here, on the contrary, as has 

 been shown, the rock-salt forms the base of a disturbed series, members 

 of which stretch far away to the westward, and the likelihood of its 

 non-appearance in that direction depends largely upon the physical 

 structure of the ground, the prevalence of the massive upper arenaceous 

 rocks, and the absence of faults or such upward curvature of the strata 

 as would have brought the basal beds within reach of erosive agency in 



* The place is unfortunately not marked on Dr. Vercliere's map, but from information 

 kindly supplied by Major Johnstone, Deputy Commissioner of Bauuu, appears to be situated 

 beyond the frontier south of the Dour valley, and south of the village of Sokhel, between 

 the Dour valley and the Khisor nullah. 



There is another 'Sarobee' at the north end of the Chichali Pass, which is not supposed 

 to be the locality meant. 



( 175 ) 



