1834.] Jumna Salt works. 33 



at the edge of the table land, where it plunges over a perpendicular 

 precipice of two thousand feet, there are numerous spots admirably cal- 

 culated for the construction of water-mills — spots where there are abrupt 

 falls of from ten to twenty feet, and from whence aqueducts might be 

 made to regulate the supply of water required. 



When I commenced this sketch it did not occur to me that I should 

 have been led into so much of what may appear tedious detail. I fear I 

 may have almost exceeded the limits allowed, but I shall now conclude 

 by saying, that should the Secretary of the Physical Class, or any other 

 scientific gentlemen from the presidency, feel inclined to visit Chirra, and 

 form their own judgment on the facts I have endeavoured to detail, he 

 or they, should they proceed by a steam-boat, will find at Chattak six 

 hundred maunds of coal for their return- voyage. This supply has been 

 brought down the hill by Mr. Cracroft and myself, expressly with the 

 view of encouraging visitors from Calcutta, in the expectation that the 

 frequent report of competent and disinterested individuals may at length 

 open the eyes of the Government and of the community, to the many 

 advantages, as a sanatary position, and as a highly valuable acquisition, 

 which belong to the hitherto neglected station of Chirra Punji. 



V .—Description of the Mode of Extracting Salt from the damp Sand-beds 



of the River Jumna, as practiced by the Inhabitants of Bundelkhand. 



By Lieut. J. S. Burt, Engineers. 



The operation is performed by three persons, one of whom is employ- 

 ed in collecting a quantity of damp sand, another in preparing a filter- 

 ing vessel, and filling it, as well as in emptying a receiving vessel of 

 the saline liquid which has been collected, and the third in superintend- 

 ing the boiling of the liquid until it evaporate, and leave a salt at the 

 bottom of the pitcher. The sand selected for the purpose is that which 

 swells up (phultaj , or is raised by the solar heat a little above the general 

 surface of the bed, and is generally found near to the stream, where the 

 moist saline particles are alone affected by the sun ; however, a quantity 

 of sand becomes intermixed with the salt as it swells into innumerable 

 little hillocks, which vary in size from an inch to three or four inches, 

 or more, in diameter, according to the quantity of saline matter con- 

 tained in them. 



As soon as the gatherer has collected a common ratan-basketful of 

 sand, he conveys it upon his head, and depositing the contents near to 

 the filtering vessel, returns for a fresh supply; then comes the filler. 

 It is however necessary first to describe the manner in which the fil- 

 tering vessel is set up. The accompanying plan, elevation, and section 



£ 



