1853.] Report on the Geological Structure of the Salt Range. 235 



generally a trace of carbonate of soda. As we ascend the alluvial 

 zones along the foot of the hills vegetation gradually diminishes, and 

 on the Salt rocks, which are the lowest in the series, it seems to 

 reach a minimum. A few stunted kurul, pelu and phoolahi bushes 

 may be observed, but succulent salsolas* and other chenopodiacious 

 plants known to the natives under the general term "Java," with 

 one or two interesting Cruciferae characterize these, and abound in 

 the Salt-marl. Above the Salt rocks vegetation again increases, but 

 on account of the want of water along the foot of the escarpment 

 of the Range, is every where scanty. 



On reaching the summit of the escarpment which is formed of 

 limestone rocks elevated into a ridge varying from 2 to 5,000 feet in 

 height, we are introduced to a district of a totally different aspect 

 from that to the south, presenting at first generally a considerable 

 slope to the N., which is succeeded by a series of horizontal ridges 

 with intervening valleys. 



Between Jelalpur and Baghanwalla, the Range presents merely 

 a ridge ; but beyond the latter place this expands into a kind of 

 table-land two or three miles in breadth, extending from the escarp- 

 ment between Baghanwalla and Jutana N. to the foot of mount 

 Drengan, the highest but one of the Salt Eange hills which rises 

 from it behind the village of Bisharut. This table-land is about 

 2,800 feet above the level of the sea, and, though entirely dependent 

 on rain, is all under cultivation, and yields generally fair crops of 

 wheat, barley, &c. It extends in a S. W. direction for about a cou- 

 ple of miles, and then becomes broken up by limestone ridges, into 

 a succession of small cultivated valleys, one of which runs along the 

 S. side of mount Kurringurli under the village of Vuhali. 



Proceeding westward to Katass, we enter the district of Kuhun, 

 which is made up of a succession of ridges and cultivated valleys 

 about 2,000 feet above the sea-level. At the west end of this district 

 is the Salt Lake of Kullur Kuhor (Kullur in Sanscrit means salt, 

 Kuhor, Sansc. a lake). Its extent varies much in different seasons, 

 but may be stated as about a mile long by half a mile broad, its 



* These, in the plain along the foot of the Range, are, after the rains, cut, col- 

 lected into heaps and burnt for the sake of their ashes, which are called saji 

 mutti, a coarse kind of carbonate of soda. 



