1843.] of the Punjaub and part of Afghanistan. 215 



distant from each other, and was divided into three divisions or stages, 

 down which we were lighted by two miners carrying pieces of pine 

 wood, highly impregnated with turpentine, causing it to burn with great 

 brilliancy. 



Method of working the Mines. — In working the mines, the most rude 

 method is adopted, the only implements used, being large sledge ham- 

 mers. The salt which is very compact and imbedded in the marl, and 

 from 50 to 100 feet in thickness, is in all directions traversed by 

 spouts made of the plaintain tree, (the only interior works,) which are 

 used in conducting water to any part of the mine intended to be work- 

 ed ; it by degrees wears away a portion of the salt, and allows the 

 miner to get at the remainder, which he breaks up with his large 

 hammer. This is also the plan followed in working the mine open 

 to day, (quarry,) the water being brought from a distance of about a 

 mile. On enquiring if the water was kept, I was answered with a look 

 of surprise, in the negative ; it, from the latter mine, being carried by a 

 winding stream to the Bey ah. The salt is granular and very impure, 

 containing a large per centage of iron and earthy matter. After work- 

 ing a mine for some time, they are obliged, owing to the quantity of 

 water, to abandon it, and open one in another quarter, which owing to 

 the softness of the marl rock, is easily done. Many mines were pointed 

 out to us, which had, for the above reason, been lately abandoned. 



This rude method of saving implements and manual labor, is unknown 

 in Europe. In the Austrian mines, where the salt is very impure and 

 invariably mixed -with much clay, large chambers are formed in them, 

 and filled with fresh water from the surface, which, attacking the sides 

 and roof dissolves the salt, and leaves the clay and extraneous matter 

 to settle at the bottom ; after ten days or a fortnight, when the solu- 

 tion becomes sufficiently saturated, the brine is run off to the evapo- 

 rating houses, and another supply of fresh water admitted ; and this is 

 repeated thirty or forty times, till the chambers become so extensive as 

 to endanger the roof, and threaten destruction to the interior works. If 

 this method was adopted at Mundi, which could be easily done, we 

 would have salt equal, or rather superior, to that obtained at the Punjaub 

 salt mines. 



Method of removing Salt from the Mines. — In removing salt from the 

 first mine, eight women and a boy were employed, who carried on each 



2 F 



