V 
I’AKT 3.] Ilackel: Salt in Rajputana. 205 
pi’oduction of salt from the Sanibhar hike has })ecn on an oxtensivo scale, and, as 
a source of salt, the lake dates from the mythical ago. Myths are, no doubt, still 
a popular product of contemporary invention, and I cannot say whether histori¬ 
cal documents throw any light upon the remote statistics of salt manufacture at 
Sambhar. But the facts in hand arc sulBoieut, without appealing to ancient 
history; and I have seen no mention of any symptoms of failing in the supply. 
To accomplish so much within any reasonable time, Avith a catchment basin of 
only 2,000 square miles, would seem an impossible feat, and we must not forgot 
that the foi-mation of the lake itself, as already desci’ibcd, is apparently due to 
conditions that are, at least geologically, modern; the reign of sand in Raj¬ 
putana may almost certainly be assigned as a result of the reign of quasi-civilized 
man, the Rajput and his compeers; for it can scarcely be doubted that it Avas 
once in the possession of the forest pidmcval. 
In this connection it has been considered Avhether we might not call in the aid 
of some of the great northern rivers. It is Avell knoAvn that the Satlej for¬ 
merly lloAved far to the east of its jaresent course, and it is geologically possible, 
or even probable, that the Jumna once upon a time fioAved through Rajputana, 
w’est of the Arvali range. ^ The Avaste AA'aters of those rivers, distributed AAndely 
by overfloAV and percolation, before the channels became diverted into loAVcr 
ground, must have supplied to the soil a vciy large amount of saline matter, and 
under suitable conditions of evaporation and jAercolation this might bo retained 
in those upper deposits. At the present day all the rainfall on the tract betAvcon 
the Jumna and the Satlej, where is noAV the ‘divide’ between the basins of tho 
Indus and tho Ganges, including the Avater of some considerable streams from the 
SiAA^alik hills, is wdiolly dissipated or absorbed AAothin that area, there being little 
or no escape by surface drainage. It seems, hoAvcver, that this aid cannot bo 
called in at Sambhar, AA’ithout almost inadmissible assumjhions as to changes of 
level. There is certainly no room to suppose that the area under consideration 
has suffered from erosion; and at present the alluAual spill from the Himalaya 
on the north meets that of the ArAmli from the south about Hissar, Avhore aa'o find 
the loAvest gi'ound in the cross-section of the ludo-Gangetic plains at their w'ater- 
shed. The elevation at Hissar is 700 feet, or neaily 500 feet lower than tho 
Sambhar lake, ICO miles to the south. 
There is j'ct another fact to be considered in this discussion. Without ex¬ 
ception, so far as knoAA'n, SAveet water is obtainable from tho alluvial deposits 
at loAver levels than the saline Avater. I cannot say that this has been tried at 
any actual focus of salt production, but it is a fact of universal exjAerienee and 
practice in tho region under notice and throughout the plains of north-west India 
to sink deep wells for fresh Avater, Avhero the upper w’ater stratum, as A'cry often 
happens, is too salty for use. It might seem at first sight that this fact Avould 
at once pAit out of court a question we have had to leave undecided—Avhother 
there may not be recent marine deposits bcloAV the surface alluvium, which latter 
is everywhere proved by its fossil contents to be of fresh Avater origin; but it is 
abundantly proved that strata Avdiich must have been originally impregnated Avith 
* See section, ‘ The Pliiius,’ iu the GezeUeoi' of the rmijah. 
