1848.] and on its Coal and other Minerals. 523 



The rol or shale, as it is brought to the mouth of the pit, is placed 

 in bags made of kummul or country blanket, two of which are loaded 

 on bullocks, a narrow path having been made to enable them to ascend 

 and descend the rocky side of the hill to the bed of the Loon nullah, 

 from whence a road leads by the side of the Indus to Kalibag. 



Price of the Alum Shale at Kalibag. — In this way the shale is landed 

 at the alum kilns at prices varying from 14 to 17 maunds for the rupee, 

 the workmen being supplied with mining instruments, but obliged to 

 provide bullocks at their own expense. 



Alum Kilns. — The kilns form the most striking feature of Kalibag, 

 their red mounds rising up here and there in the middle of the village, 

 and the smoke which issues from them tainting the air to a consider- 

 able distance around. 



Injurious effect of Alum Kilns on the health of the inhabitants of 

 Kalibag. — The injurious effect of impure air on the workmen employed 

 about these kilns, is abundantly manifested in their sickly, emaciat- 

 ed appearance, many of whom labor under chronic affections of the 

 lungs. Goitre prevails to a considerable extent among the inhabitants 

 of Kalibag, but whether this is attributable to the pollution of the at- 

 mosphere by carbonic and sulphureous gasses, to the highly calcareous 

 waters of the Indus, or to other more obscure causes, we will not venture 

 to offer an opinion. In other parts of the salt range, we did not notice 

 particularly the prevalence of goitre, whereas at Kalibag it is very com- 

 mon, some of the tumours being of large size. 



Number of Kilns in Kalibag. — In the village there are no fewer than 

 14 kilns, to each of which the necessary arrangements for the prepara- 

 tion of alum are attached, but at the time we visited Kalibag only 12 

 were efficient. 



Formation of the Kiln. — In preparing the kiln, a thin layer of 

 brushwood (generally Tamarisk jungle, which abounds on the banks of 

 all the Punjaub rivers) is spread on the ground to an extent varying 

 according to the size of the one about to be constructed. On this a 

 layer of the rol or shale in fragments is deposited to the depth of 

 about a foot, to which succeeds a second layer of brushwood and then 

 another of shale. When several of these have been arranged, the kiln 

 is set fire to from below, care being taken that the combustion is not 

 too rapid, which from time to time is moderated by sprinkling water 



3 z 



