of heat sufficiently intense for such purposes. Thus situated* the most
valuable discovery for them, would be- that of a coaTnune.In; some
parts of* China bordering on Thibet, coal is found, and used, as fuel.
Tincal, the nature and production of which, we have only, hitherto,
been able to guess at, is now well known, and- Thibet,- from whence
we are supplied, contains it in inexhaustible quantities. It is a fossil,
brought to market in the state in which it is dug out of the lake,.and
afterwards refined into borax by ourselves. Rock-salt is likewise found
in great abundance in Thibet.
The lake, from whence tincal »and rock-salt are cóllécted, is about
fifteen days journey from Tissoolumboo, and to the northward of it. It
is encompassed ‘onf all sides by srófcky hills, without any brooks; or
rivulets near at hand; but its waters are supplied by springs,, which
being Saltish to the tasted are not used by the natives. .The tincal is
"deposited of formed in the bed of the lake, and those who go. to collect
it, dig it up hi large masses, which they afterwards break into, small
pieces, fen the convenience of carriage, exposing it to.the' air.to; dry.
Although tincal has been collected from this lake for a great length of
time, the quantity is not perceptibly diminished; and as. the cavities
made by digging it, spon wear out, or fill up, it is an opinion, frith the
people, that the formation of fresh tincal is going on. .They have
never yet met it in dry ground, or high situations, but it is found in
the shallowest depths, and the borders of the lake, which, deepening
gradually from the edges , towards the centre, contains too much water
to admit of their searching for the tincal conveniently ; but from the
deepest parts they bring rock-salt, which is not to be found in shallows,
or near the hank. The waters of the lake rise and f^y ery little, being
Supplied byj a^eonstant and unvarying sourcey rieitker augmented;by
the influx of any current,, or diminished .by, any stream ! yUnning from
it. The lake, I was assured,|^^?^ES%'|Sicuty. miles m^circumference;
and, standing dn' a very bleak situation, is frozen» for a», great., part of
thé year. Thé people employed imcollecting these; salts; are obliged
to desist from their labour so early as October, on account of the ice.
Tincal is used in T h^t* for sbldering, and tUiftpromote the fusion* of
gold and silver. Rock-salt is universally used for;, all .domes tic purposes,
in Thibet, Boutan, arid Naphaul.
The thermometer at Tissoolumboo, during the month óf October, was
on an average, at1 eight o’clock in,the,mqrning, 38’j->ak:bpQti,.460; and
at six »’clock in the evening,- 42’: the weather clear,.cool, and pleasant,
and the prevailing wind was from the southward. During, the month of
November, we had frosts morning and eveni ng; a serene clear sky^pqt
a clöüd to be seen. The rays of the sun, passing...through, a,medium s©
little obscured, had great influence. The thermometer wasi©ften.b.é|.oW
30’ in the morning, and seldom above 38’ at noon,;,i-n.sthe shade;
wind from the southward-
Of the diseases-of this courttry^thek>£irst- that\at tracts our notice, as
We approach the foot of the hills, is a glandular swelling in the thrqat,
Which is known to prevail, in. similar situations.,in Some parts of
Europe, and generally ascribe^ to an impregnation ofofoe^atp%f^om
snow. The disease being common .at the* foot of the Alps* aadeonf«
fined to a tract of country near these.- mquntainsifia.S;^rst:;giye^ |® .tp
the idea öf its being occasioned* by snow water. j&£|