1 832.] Account of the Salt Mines of the Punjab. 145 



are however passing the best way for our safety and comfort, by appear- 

 ing in the dress and habits of the country, by which we shall avoid the 

 idle gaze and intrusions of the mob, the importunity of beggars, and 

 the reckless cupidity of robbers. It is impossible for one to assume dis- 

 guise who has been long at the court of Ranjft Sinh, and who continues 

 to be treated as a Sahib to the very limit of his authority; but it 

 never was our intention to mask ourselves. Sultan Mahomed Khan 

 is going to send horsemen to meet and escort us, which is rather too 

 much kindness, and he will only disgrace himself by caressing 

 such dirty disreputable fellows as we now appear." Ranjit Sinh's 

 troops stationed in this fort made some opposition to the baggage of 

 the travellers being ferried across ; the fact was, they were in a state of 

 mutiny in consequence of large arrears being due to them. They 

 crossed shortly after to the opposite side of the river, on which is 

 situated the fort of Khyrabad. On the 10th, they were at Akora, 

 on the banks of the Kabul river, preparing for their onward journey to 

 Peshawar. S. E. 



Allyghur, llth April, 1832. 



V. — Some account of the Salt Mines of the Panjdb. By Lieut. 

 S. Burnes, Bombay Army. 



Locality. 

 In the high lands of Kabul, between the city of that name and Pesha- 

 war, a range of hills springing from the roots of the white mountain 

 (Sufed Koh), crosses the Indus at Hara-bdgh, and terminates on the 

 right bank of the Jelum, or Hydaspes of the ancients. This range 

 formerly figured in our maps under the name of Jood, after it had 

 passed the river ; but it has been more appropriately denominated the 

 salt range, from the extensive deposits of rock salt which it contains. 

 An account of that part of it near Hara-bdgh, where the Indus in its 

 course southward cuts this range and lays open its mineral treasures, 

 will be found in Mr. Elphinstone's work. In the neighbourhood of 

 Pind-Dddan-Khan, a town about 100 miles N. W. of Lahore, the salt 

 mines which supply the northern provinces of India with that neces- 

 sary of life are excavated in the same range. The following particu- 

 lars pretend not to rank aa a scientific account of these mines, my 

 only object being to convey that information which a journey to so 

 unfrequented a part of the Panjab has enabled me to collect. 



u 



