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



This road from Malgheen (Malgin) is a mere track, but is import- 

 ant, as all the northern salt trade would have to traverse it in case of the 

 Affridis closing their pass. 



The distance from Bahadur Khel to Kabul being 150 miles, to 

 Lake Alistad, 180 miles, and to the Hindu Kush, 200 miles, the con- 

 sumption area of the Kohat salt region may be said to be included 

 within a radius of 200 miles, this limit being probably not reached in 

 all directions, notably to the east, where the circle would be nearly inter- 

 sected by the preventive line, while it is exceeded in the Derajat and Sind 

 direction. Reports say the salt goes as far as Kandahar and Balk, which 

 would be much more than 200 miles, but it is doubtful if any consider- 

 able amount of the salt reaches these distant places. The whole area 

 through which this salt is distributed may be equal to 60,000 square 

 miles.* 



* None of the salt of this country, nor any of that from the Salt Range, appears to 

 reach the Yarkand territory, though some of the latter occasionally penetrates as far as 

 Ladak, but not beyond. 



This statement is made on the reply to a question contained in one of the last letters 

 written by the late Dr. P. Stoliczka, under date Kufelong, June 12th, 1874, from which 

 she following is extracted : — 



" Pure salt in small cubic crystals sells in the Yarkand and Kashgar bazaars at the 

 rate of 1 pice per pound, and common salt (efflorescence salt for beasts) at the rate of 

 7 annas for a donkey-load, somewhat over two maunds." 



The lowness of these prices would seem to be sufficient reason for the Salt Range salt 

 not being carried further than Le*h, but even the much cheaper Trans-Indus salt, though it 

 supplies the Yusufzai country and hills north of the Peshawur valley, does not appear to 

 be worth carrying into Kashgar through the Jalalabad pass, said to be practicable for laden 

 camels the whole way.— A. B. W. 



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