1843.] of the Punjaub and part of Afghanistan. 199 



salt, however, we pass several smaller ones, varying from three, to six 

 feet in thickness ; the largest, the one now worked, is from 1 70 to 200 

 feet. 



Mines. — The dress of the miner consists of a small piece of dirty white 

 cotton cloth wrapped round the middle of the body, a similar piece 

 round the head ; and to protect his shins from the splinters of rock salt, 

 a thick pad of black woollen cloth is worn. His tools are few in 

 number and of a simple nature ; viz. a large hammer, sharp-pointed at 

 one end and flattened at the other, chisels and handspike ; with these, 

 he removes masses varying in weight from three to four pucka maunds 

 (240 to 320 lbs.), two of which are a camel load. Smaller masses 

 are also removed to load oxen, &c. In removing the large masses 

 accidents, owing to the narrowness of the shafts, frequently occur. 

 To light up the mine, small oil lamps are used, appended to which 

 are long hooks, in order to fasten them to any projecting piece 

 of rock salt. The miner is capable of removing from situ eight 

 pucka maunds per diem, for which he receives an anna per maund, 

 but he supplies himself with tools and oil, which cost four annas. On 

 carrying the salt out of the mine, an additional two annas is given ; 

 this however is the work of another individual, who is capable of re- 

 moving sixteen maunds per diem. By camels, bullocks, &c. the salt is 

 conveyed to Pind Dadur Khan, (as no salt is allowed to be sold at the 

 mines,) and there sold at the rate of a rupee the pucka maund. When 

 the Maharajah Runjeet Singh held the mines in his own hands, a rupee 

 was charged for a camel load; but prior to farming them out to the 

 Jammoo Rajas, he had raised the price to 2 rupees. Now the price of a 

 camel load varies from 6 to 8 rupees, and before reaching Ambala, pay- 

 ing hire, duty, &c, it costs from 8 to 20 rupees. 



The salt is sold in the bazar at the rate of from 13 to 15 seers 

 per rupee. 



The mines are guarded by a party of the Raja's hill troops. In the 

 central division of the town of Pind Dadur Khan, (it being divided 

 into three,) which contains about 10,000 inhabitants, there is a 

 mud fort also garrisoned by a battalion of their troops, with some 

 horse artillery ; facing it, there is a wide plain on which the salt was 

 lying in great quantity ; here also scales are erected for weighing it 

 prior to loading the camels, of which there were about 70 or 80 present. 



2 n 



