42 BHOTIA MEHALS 



the tincal, or natural crystals, are picked for the Europe market, and 

 the dust is prepared into refine,d borax. The residuum, consisting of 

 river sand, is always considerable, varying in different years, from twenty 

 to above thirty per cent. The Bhotias are not accused of adulterating 

 the article, though the petty hill traders, who purchased it from them, 

 were, for some time, guilty of such practice to a great extent ; the refusal 

 of the plain merchants to take the article from these people, except with 

 a specific assurance against loss in refining, beyond a given proportion, 

 has checked this fraud. The prices in Hiu?ides correspond with those 

 of salt — this article being similarly obtained in barter for grain. A view 

 of the state of import in Great Britain, during the period in discussion, 

 may not be irrelevant : — 



Years. 



Value. 



Years. 



Value. 



Years. 



Value. 



1814 



£10,620 



1817 



£32,573 



1820 



£209,175 



1815 



59,200 



1818 



76,666 



1821 



51,651 



1816 



103,301 



1819.... 



215,591 



1822 



25,268 



The above statement is taken from a periodical publication, where it is 

 given in the amount of Indian import alone. 



,. 

 Wool — the produce of the Tartar sheep, known in commerce under 

 the name of berjengi, is imported to the extent of five or six hundred 

 maunds — part of which is consumed by the Bhotias in the manufacture of 

 " Pankhis"* and the remainder is taken off by the zemindars of the 

 northern pergannas, for blankets ; the money price may be stated at 



fourteen 





* The Panhhi is a species of serge, varying in quality, some having the wool left long on 

 one side. 



