686 Trip to Pind Dadud Khan and the Salt Range. [July, 



provinces, called Reh, and which is a mixture of sulphate with carbonate 

 of soda. When a proper quantity of this has been added, which is 

 judged of from the appearance of the liquid, the whole is allowed to 

 settle and the clear liquid then removed into smaller earthen vats, where 

 it is allowed slowly to crystallize for several days. By this means crys- 

 tals of alum are separated of a small size and pinkish color from the 

 brown impure mother liquor, from which they are removed, and allowed 

 to dry for a short time. These crystals are then fused in their own 

 water of crystallization in an iron pan, and when in a fluid state are 

 removed into gurrahs, where for 8 or 10 days they are allowed to crys- 

 tallize. The solid mass of alum in the interior of the gurrah is then 

 pierced with a pick and the gurrah inverted so as to allow any uncrys- 

 tallized alum liquor to escape. The gurrah is then broken, and the 

 alum moulted to its form, removed to the depot for sale or exportation. 

 It is generally of a light brown colour and evidently contains iron and 

 other impurities. 



By acting on successive portions of the kiln in the above way, the 

 whole is by degrees converted into alum of marketable quality. 



A kind of alum called Kaee, is prepared for dyers from a light grey 

 shale containing silky crystals, of what appear to be sub-sulphate of 

 alumina. This shale is coarsely powdered and dipped in the liquor 

 separated from the small crystals of alum. It is then removed and 

 dried in irregular shaped masses of about a seer weight each, which are 

 of a brownish color. When dry these get a second dip in the same 

 alum liquor, and are again dried, becoming of a tawny yellow colour, in 

 which state they are sold to dyers at 8 annas per maund. 



The shale from which this variety of alum is manufactured is found 

 associated with the other alum shales around, but in moderate quantity. 

 Its price is 5 annas per maund. In Kalibag there are about 12,000 

 maunds of alum manufactured annually, which here sells at Rs. 3 per 

 maund. The average daily expenditure in all the alum works in the 

 village is stated as Rs. 12. 



Note. — The Rol or alum shale is landed by workmen at the alum 

 works in Kalibag, at prices varying from 14 to 17 maunds the rupee, 

 according to the distance it has to be brought, the workmen being sup- 

 plied with mining instruments. 



The price of the Jumsau, or earth which is added to the crude alum 



