548 Narrative of a Journey to Cho Lagan, fyc. [Sept. 



2. Rabgyaling, or Rabling, probably in the district of Nabru, or 

 elsewhere, west of Gartokh ; 



3. Tholing (or Ling), and 



4. Shebiling, in Taklakhar ? 



Each of which rules 25 Gumha, (Monasteries,) the Priors of which 

 are Lamas, with establishment of many inferior Monks, Daba or 

 Gelong. In Gnari the Nuns are styled Chemu, and not Am, which 

 latter word signifies woman simply, of any sort. 



The Salt and Borax Mines of Gnari, or fields rather, " Lha-lhaka, 

 as Lhali-lhaka, (by Herbert I think or Gerard 1 erroneously given as 

 the names of districts) lie to the north of Bongbwa Tal, across moun- 

 tains that round the north-east side of the valley of the Shajjan river, 

 paralled to the Gangri range, and in the eastern part of the Zung of 

 Rudukh. The two salts, I understand, are obtained from different 

 spots in the same vicinity, and both worked in the same way by wash- 

 ing the earth taken from the surface of the ground in which they are 

 developed by natural efflorescence. These salt fields are open to all 

 who choose to adventure their labour in them, on payment of a tenth 

 part of the produce to the Government, which has an excise establish- 

 ment for collecting the dues on the spot. The proceeds form, perhaps, 

 an item in the general contract for the revenues of Gnari between the 

 Garpan and the Lhassan Government. 



Soda also (carbonate of Soda) Bui or Pul, is abundant in many 

 places, (I saw much of it, as mentioned, about the shores of the lakes,) 

 but appears to constitute no trade like the others, though in Hundes it 

 is used generally for helping the extract of Tea, the universal beverage 

 drunk in vast quantity ; and by the higher classes, who sometimes wash 

 their hands and faces, as a substitute for soap. 



The principal Gold Mines, Sar Chaka, are ten days journey beyond 

 the Salt Mines, further north, or north-east, (perhaps on the north- 

 western borders of the Kam country ?) in a district otherwise uninhabit- 

 ed ? named Sar-bachyad ? These are farmed by a Sarpiin, on triennial 

 contract direct from Lhassa, independent of the authorities in Gnari. 

 Deba Chakwa however held this contract for the last 3 years in which 

 he was Garpan Urku-wa at Gartokh. He paid to the Lhassa Treasury 

 17,000 Rupees per annum; had 170 miners at work, for whose sub- 

 sistence he used to send supplies of Satu, Ghiu, Tea, &c. from Pruang, 



