( 156 ) 
Art. XXIV. — On the existence of two Burning Volcanoes ifi 
Central Tarta/ry 
M. Louis Cordier, an eminent French mineralogist, having 
applied to M. Abel Remusat, well known by his acquirements 
in Oriental literature, for some information respecting the sal- 
ammoniac, in which the Kalmucks carry on a great trade in dif- 
ferent parts of Asia, the latter was led to consult the Japanese edi- 
tion of the Chinese Encyclopaedia. In this work, which contains 
details respecting the productions, the arts and the geography of 
Eastern Asia, he found the following curious passage : “The 
salt called by the Chinese Nao-cha, and also salt of T artary ^ 
and volatile salt,^ is obtained from two mountains of Central 
Tartary. The one is the volcano of Tourfan “j”, which has gi- 
ven to that town, (or rather to a town situated two leagues from 
Tourfan,) the name of Ho-Tcheou^ or the Town qf Fire. 
The other is the White Mountain, in the country of Bisch-Ba- 
likhj. These two mountains eject continually flames and smoke. 
There are cavities in them, where they collect a green fluid, 
which, when evaporated, is changed into a salt, which is Nao~ 
cha. It is collected by the people of the country, who use it in 
the preparation of leather. 
“ With respect to the mountain of Tourfan, a column of smoke 
is seen constantly issuing from it, and the smoke is replaced in 
the evening by a flame similar to that of a torch. The birds 
and other animals which are illuminated by it appear of a red 
colour. This mountain is called the Mountain of Fire. In 
order to seek the Nao-cha, the people put on sabots, as soles of 
leather would be speedily burned. 
“ The people of the country collect all the mother waters, 
which they boil, and from which they extract sal-ammoniac, in 
the form of cakes, similar to those of common salt. The whitest, 
* Abridged and Translated from the Annales des Mines^ tom. v. p. 135. 
Situated in East Long. 89° 31' and North Lat. 43° 30' according to P. 
Gaubil. 
^ A Town situated on the River Hi, to the S.W. of the Lake of Balgasch, 
which the Chinese also caH the Warm Sea. According to P. Gaubil, the latitude 
of the Lake of Balgasch is 46° and its Long. 78° 31 ' East. 
