1830 .] 
On the Manufacture of the Sylhet Lime. 
61 
V. — On the Manufacture of the Sylhet Lime. 
The Sylhet Lime is manufactured at Chattac and Chuna Ganj, two large vil- 
lages on the Surma River : the first about 16 miles in a direct line, N. W . of 
Sylhet, and the other about 32 miles W. N. W. of that place. Chattac is laid 
town in Rennell s atlas, plate No. 6, and Chuna Ganj may be readily found, 
emg immediately below, and adjoining the village of Solagar, above and below 
which the lime kilns extend several miles on both banks of the river. 
I he stone is brought down by water during the rains from Panduah Laur, 
rharapunji, and the nearest points in the first range of hills to the northward, 
where it is found on the surface in large rocks and masses, and is said to be 
inexhaustible. The Laur quarries produce the best stone, and in the greatest 
quantity. D 
• , T1 * ( l u ^ rr j es or tracts producing the stone are rented from the C£s- 
lah and Panduah Rajahs, by Mr. Terraneau, and Messrs. Inglis and Co. ; those in 
, a ^ r aie rented b y Mr * Terraneau on the part of Government for about 140 or 
o s. per annum, on a lease renewable every four or five years, and a small annual 
pi esent to the chiefs. The stone is broken and rolled down to the boats by the Cas- 
i on " hl people ’ and costs > wben laid down at the ghaut or kilns, from 16' to 18 
an i maunds, when it is saleable to the Beparies or native lime- 
r.i eis, or whom there are great numbers established at and in the vicinity of the 
marts above-mentioned, at from 30 to 40 Rs. per 1000 maunds. 
I he fire-wood is procured from Bituscandi, Dudpatli, and other parts of 
Cachar, east of Sylhet. It is generally contracted for with taudars , or wood-mer- 
chants, and costs, in the green state, when landed at the kilns, from 35 to 40 
Rupees per 1000 maunds. It is chiefly made use of at Chattac, where the?ia/ or 
reed is not so abundant as lower down the river, the banks of which may be said to 
be covered with it from Azmfiri Ganj to some distance above Chuna Ganj. 
I lie wood, however, must not be used until perfectly dry : and as the rains in that 
part of the country continue nearly nine months out of twelve, or from April un- 
til October, the burning of the lime cannot commence at Chattac until the latter 
end of January or beginning of February ; iso late as January even they are frequent- 
ly obliged to dry the wood over fires ; whereas at Chuna Ganj, the burning 
commences in November or December, or as soon as the banks become sufficiently 
dry to allow ot the kilns being constructed, and continues during the whole of the 
cold season, or until the end of March ; during all which period the reed alone is 
used tor fuel. But this is not found to answer so well in the rains, which, as before 
observed, commence in April; and should any lime, therefore, be burnt after thatpe- 
1 10d ’ wood must be used, and the kilns are protected by slight moveable roofs. 
I he nal is very similar to the sirkatidah of the upper provinces, and grows to 
the height ot from 12 to 15 feet or more, aud to the size of a thick rattan, or about 
4 ths of an mch in diameter. It is cut down some months before it is required, and 
when sufficiently dry, is tied up into bundles of 21 to 31 feet in circumference each, 
and taken up to the kilns by water. 
The kilns are generally placed on the edge of a bank, which is cut down in front 
nearly perpendicularly to the depth of about 4 or 5 feet, as shewn in the accompany- 
ing elevation, and occasionally on the level ground in rear, when space sufficient is 
not to be found immediately on the bank. In such case, an excavation is made 
lo or 18 feet m diameter, and 4 or 5 feet deep, and the kiln erected as before, on 
the edge facing the prevailing wind. 
I he figure next page fully explains the manner in which the fire-place is 
constructed, and ground laid out previous to the kiln being loaded ; the usual size 
or a kiln burnt with wood is such as to contain from 700 to 800 maunds of stone ; 
but when the nal or reeds are used, the kilns seldom exceed 500 or 600 maunds, 
an vary from that to 400 maunds. The figure shews the dimensions of one to 
to contain 500 maunds, which differs little from the other, except in the thickness 
to which the stones are piled. 
