1843.] of the Punjaub and part of Affghanistan. 219 



Revenue. — The revenue yielded by' the Durung mines is small when 

 compared with that of Pind Dadur Khan and Kalabagh, nor is there any 

 chance of the former being much increased, owing to the nature of the 

 salt, and the inaccessibility of the route for beasts of burden. On the 

 other hand, the latter will ere long assume a very different appearance. 

 From Raja Goolaub Singh's people, who monopolizes not only the 

 whole of the salt trade, but governs the greater part of the hilly coun- 

 try W. of the Jehlum, we could not get any definite information regard- 

 ing the annual revenue yielded ; we believe that it is not far short of 

 fourteen lakhs. The time, however, is not far distant, we trust, that 

 when the country comes under the rule of a liberal and enlightened 

 Government, (which would be a subject of congratulation to the whole 

 agricultural and commercial population,) to see it increased tenfold. 

 The salt will not only supply the whole of Western India, but pro- 

 bably may be exported with advantage from Bombay, &c. The alum 

 can be manufactured in any quantity, and it only requires encourage- 

 ment and protection to increase this article equally with the salt. On 

 the value of the gypsum, we have already commented. When a change 

 therefore takes place in the government of this country, we shall no 

 doubt see the town of Kalabagh raised to one of the most important 

 in the Punjaub, although no coal has, nor shall be found worth 

 working ; but still we shall soon see another power brought into action in 

 propelling vessels, which will do away with altogether the use of fuel ; 

 viz. electro-magnetism. Such being the case, we trust not but that 

 important and vital object to the commerce of Central Asia, the 

 opening of the river Indus to free trade, obtained by the advance of the 

 British Army in 1838, will be duly appreciated, and recompense go- 

 vernment for the outlay it caused. As soon therefore as this power is 

 brought into play, we may expect to see the trade on this river rival 

 that of its sister-river, the Ganges. But in opening up this river, another 

 grand object has been obtained — a blow given to barbarism in Central 

 Asia, and a way laid open to the advancement of European civili- 

 zation. 



As we ascend the river from Maree, which must be done in a boat, 

 as there is no road on either side, we meet with highly inclined 

 strata of sandstone, with beds of boulders of quartz, granite, syenite, 

 trap, &c. (Fig. I. d,) dipping under an angle of 30° to the N. by E ; in 



