the Production of Borax. 29^ 
before it reaches the plains, which increafes the difficulty of ob- 
taining authentic information regarding theoriginal manufacture. 
When brought down from the hills, it is refined from the earth 
and grofs impurities by boiling and cryftallifation. I could obtain 
no anfwers to any queftions regarding the quality of the water, 
and the mineral productions of the foil. All they could fav of 
the former was, that it was very hot, very foul, and as it were 
greafy ; that it boils up in many places, and has a very offenfive 
fmell : and the latter remarkable only for the faline appearances 
above deferibed. That country, however, in general, produces 
confiderable quantities of iron, copper, and fulphur. After being 
" purified it fells in the market here for about 1 5 rupees per maund ; 
and I am affured, by many of the natives, that all the borax 
in India comes only from the place above mentioned. 
I am afraid you will think this at heft but a very unfatisfactory 
and unphilofophical account of the matter; but what can be 
done, where the only mode of information is through fome of 
the wild and unfettled mountaineers ? for the place is inaccef- 
fible even to the inhabitants of Hindoftan, and has never been 
vifited by any of them, except a few wandering Faquires, who 
have been fometimes led that way, either to do penance, or to 
vifit fome of the temples in the mountains. The cold in win- 
ter is deferibed to be fo intenfe that every thing is frozen up, and 
that life can only be preferved by loads of blankets and fkins. 
In the furnmer again, the reflection from the fides of the 
mountains, which are fteep and clofe to each other (there 
being little or no plain ground betwixt them), renders the 
heats infufferable. 
I have not loaded this account with any reflections or con- 
jectures of my own. I have Amply given you the narrative 0 i 
thofe from whom I had my information ; and having put into 
your 
w 
