'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎240] (415/524)

240
REMARKS on THE PORT OF LINGAH,
gom e way into the interior of the island, abuts on 1 ho shore line, with
which it runs parallel at a few hundred paces distance for some five
miles, when it again abruptly turns inland. The general aspect of the
range is dark-red, alternating with slate colour, strewed in part with
earth. The scarps are steep, and the height of the summits may
vary from 3, 4 , to 600 feet. The entire range seems to be salt, and
reminded me of the salt hill near NishapoOr, on the road from Tehran
to Meshed. The two sets of salt caves which I visited were respec
tively at the two extremities of the shore face of the range. I he cave
on the side nearest Kownee is comparatively small, and does not seem
to be worked ; but one of the caves on the further extremity is of truly
noble proportions, being a vault of from 2 to 300 feet in height, of
about the same length, and with a span of 60 or 70 feet. The entire
arch of the cave is beautifully streaked like marble, while large crys
talline salites hang from the roof in festoons white as Snow. Another
cave of lesser dimensions is in the immediate vicinity, and it is this one
Which is principally worked. It may he about a mile distant from the
beach : a sufficiently good path for camels and donkeys leads up to
it. The blocks of rock-salt quarried from the interior of the cave are
laid in heaps at its entrance to be carried by donkeys and camels to
the sea-shore, where it is stowed in small native craft and carried tti
Muskat, for ultimate exportation to Calcutta and the east coast of
Africa. The period of working is said to he about five months in the
year, beginning from the early spring, when from 100 to 150 hands
may he daily employed. The reason alleged for non-working for salt
during the remaining months of the year is, that boats cannot lay in
shore for landing unless during the calm season, hut I rather suspect
that the working is regulated by the demand. Every boat shipping
salt pays 2 krans* or about one rupee per ton, to the Sheikh of
Kishm, and every camel employed in carrying pays 5 krans per annum
to the same authority. It is said (and from the general appearance of
the place it seems certain) that working in them is dangerous on ac
count of the frequent falling of large blocks of salt from the roof and
sides. Many labourers are said to have been killed in this manner;
and among other numerous debris I noticed one solid mass of pure
rock-salt, about 12 feet thick, with sides of 16 feet, which had recently
fallen across the centre of the cave. It does not appear that the
pure salites abovementioned are made use of, although I found the t<A v