212 Report on the Geology, Zoology, fyc. [No. 135. 



desert, part of which separates the Bickaneer from the Bhawulpore 

 territory, which was crossed by Elphinstone, who has given a graphic 

 account of it, I have been informed by that active and talented officer, 

 Lieutenant Robinson, Agent of the Bhuttee country, that in sinking the 

 various wells in attempting to carry a road from Delhi through Hansi 

 and Bickaneer to Bhawalpore, he has always found the salt in layers, or 

 beds of soil of different thickness ; here water was always salt or 

 brackish, but after boring through this bed, another would be found 

 devoid of salt, and the water below it fresh ; but it only remains so for 

 a short time, owing to the infiltration of salt water from the upper 

 beds, and which has thrown much difficulty in his way in carrying 

 out his plans. In a few parts of India, do we not meet with vast salt 

 tracts unconnected with the saliferous strata? Thus in the Tirhoot 

 district, Ambala district, Punjaub, &c. ; nor on the other hand does it 

 follow that those tracts, which occur in the neighbourhood of the 

 saliferous system, are salt. Thus for instance, the finest soil in the 

 Punjaub is that found between Jelalpore and Pind Dadur Khan, 

 and it is well known, that no soil is worse adapted to cultivation 

 than a saliferous one, it causing large tracts to remain waste ; the only 

 use of it being to obtain salt, which is either the carbonate, sulphate, 

 or muriate of soda ; nitre too is not uncommon. 



Alum Slate. — Next to the rock salt in economical value at Kalabagh 

 is the alum slate, from which large quantities of alum (sulphate of 

 alumina) is manufactured. In making it, there are fourteen manufactures 

 engaged, with from 12 to 18 workmen in each. The alum slate which 

 occurs in great beds alternating with the red marl, and containing 

 beautiful twin crystals of selenite, is brought to the manufactories on 

 donkies, at the rate of an anna per pucka maund. 



Manufacture of Alum. — To procure alum, the following is the process 

 adopted : first a layer of wood of about two feet in thickness is placed 

 on the ground, above it a layer of alum slate of about the same 

 thickness, which is sprinkled with water; the layers are continued 

 successively for six or seven times, till the heap reaches to a height 

 of from 25 to 30 feet ; the wood is then lighted, and in the space 

 of from 12 to 24 hours, the fire is extinguished. By this time 

 the greyish black colour of the slate is converted into blood red. When 

 cooled a thousand maunds of it are thrown into a brick tank, and 



