198 WYNNE : TRANS-INDUS SALT REGION, KOHAT DISTRICT. 



and prevent, until a fort should be built at Bahadur Khel, a coalition, 

 as in February 1850, of Waziris and men of Bahadur Khel and Daresh 

 Khel against Government. Again, the Bahadur Khels were at that 

 time and for some few years after in but nominal subjection to their chief, 

 Khwaja Mohamed Khan, whilst their village held the approach to the 

 mine." Captain Plowden notes. ' Captain Cokes' writing in March 1853, 

 that this village was formerly noted throughout the whole district as the 

 refuge of all thieves and murderers in the vicinity and the most yagi 

 (lawless and independent) village in the country, not having for years 

 paid any revenue, but he adds that the presence of a fort had made the 

 people as well conducted as those of any part of the Kohat district, and 

 converted them into regular revenue-payers. A carriage road' [? Gun 

 Carriage] now ' runs through the Soordag (Surdag) pass, and the Wazi- 

 ris have imbibed a wholesome respect for a Government which has been 

 stable and powerful for over twenty years, and have settled down into 

 submissive subjects and peaceable neighbours, whilst a fort has been built 

 at Bahadur Khel, and is held by detachments of Native Infantry and 

 Cavalry." 



Method of quarrying. — There are two methods applied in working 

 the Trans-Indus quarries. At Jatta, Malgheen (Malgin), and Nurree 

 (Narri) gunpowder is used, and the salt is given to the merchants in 

 irregularly shaped pieces, whilst at Kurruk and Bahadur Khel it is ob- 

 tained in slabs, detached from the rock by pick-axe and wedge without 

 the use of powder. These slabs are called ' tubbis' or chukkis/ generally 

 the former. 



The tools used by the miners or quarrymen are, a pick sledge called 

 ' koowar/ 12 to 20 seers in weight, a smaller pick, ' sootak,' a crow or 

 jumper, called ( jubber/ a needle for the blasting bore, ' sz/c', a spoon to 

 clear the borehole, c kurruncli/ and a hand barrow called ' bangai. 3 



The method of cutting the salt by fresh water is not in practice 

 anywhere in these quarries ; possibly it might be adopted in some places, 

 but would require engineering contrivance. 



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