26 Account ofKdld Bdgh* [Jan. 



and the roofs of the houses are so low that a person cannot ride through 

 it on horseback. There are about 140 shops which are all shut by the 

 fall of the evening-, and darkness covers the face of the streets. 



Malak Ala'yar is the ruler of Bdghdn ; he is descended from the 

 Awdn family. He collects 32,000 Rs. per year, out of which he pays 

 10,000 Rs. to Ranji't Singh. He has about 200 horsemen and the 

 same number of foot soldiers. 



There are 10 alum manufactories at Bdghdn and 200 at Moch on the 

 other side of the river. Each of them consumes 4 Rs. fuel every day, 

 which is cut and brought from Kachhi. A kind of earth which is green- 

 ish inside is dug from the neighbouring " rah" or hillocks : it is called 

 " rol" and is put between layers of burning wood. Sprinkling of 

 water produces an immediate fire, and then it becomes red. After this 

 it is boiled in iron pans which are 52 spans in diameter, and passes into 

 many successive focuses, (filters ?) where it is well cleaned. Jasdhu, 

 which is a kind of saltpetre, and produced in Kachhi, is mixed with it ; 

 and by means of large cups it is poured into the earthen jars. For some 

 days it is left among them where it turns into the large loaves of alum. 

 Each of the loaves is 2 mans in weight, and the price of each load, 

 which is 8 mans, is 2 Rs. 



The salt range stands close by the town, but the mines which were 

 lately worked, and numbered 21, are on the other side of the mountain. 

 It shines like crystal on the face of the hills. The appearance of the salt 

 rock is very curious ; in some places it is as a sheet of snow and in other 

 lies in the manner of a line of shining marble running through and across 

 the mountain. The grazing of the cattle has caused many holes in the 

 base of the range. The caves from whence the salt is excavated are 

 neither open nor deep. In the preceding times there was dug about 

 300,000 Rs. worth per year. The half of that quantity was the share 

 of the diggers, the third of the malak or headman, and the fourth of the 

 Maharaja. It was sold from 6 to 7 mans per Rupee and sent to Derahjdt 

 by the Indus. Since the mines of Pind Ddden Khan have been 

 monopolized by raja Gola'b Singh, all the salt ranges under the 

 authority of Ranjit Singh have fallen into his- possession. He digs the 

 mines and sells the salt according to his pleasure and on unjust plans. 

 The salt of Kohdt is not so good as that of Kuld Bdgh. Sawdd and 

 Bhuner formerly received it from this place. 



The earth of Bdghdn produces alum as well as rock salt-and sulphur. 

 The Sikh authorities are not aware of the existence of the last mine, but 

 the malak who descends from the ruling family of this place knows it, 

 and digs it to manufacture gunpowder when he wants. 



