PRESIDENCY DIVISION, ADEN, AND BOMBAY MARINE.
15
The cases of hepatitis, dysentery, and diarrhœa, &c., require no particular remarks as they
were mild, and yielded rapidly to the usual treatment in such cases. The case of catarrh
urethral is remarkable and rare, it was of about 8 years' standing, yielded rapidly to the treat-
-ment adopted : the notes on the case have been appended for perusal.
A topography of the station itself has been for warded with my report for the year 1871.
On the present occasion a few remarks on its vicinity may not be uninteresting to make.
As has been already stated in my previous reports, Bassadore station forms the north-western
extremity of the long island of Kishin, being in latitude 26°, 39', 10', north, and longitude 55°,
:22' east.
With regard to the flora and fauna of the island of Kishin, there is very little to be said.
The ranges of hills and mountains which traverse its central part like its backbone, are
comparatively speaking barren. The most common trees are those of dates, low-stunted
babools (accacias), kaboors (a large leguminous tree), zyzyphus (some of these have very soft
double stones in their fruits, and are commonly known as seedless " kinors"). A tamarix, tamarind
trees and cordia latifolia, a few scattered banyan trees (one of which is about 1½ miles from
Bassadore and is very old and wide-spreading, and throwing off aerial roots which, reaching
the ground, are turned into independent trees), mangrove trees in an extensive swamp, which
lies between the island and the Persian mainland. The blossom of these trees and the babools
are sources of honey which the bees collect : the dry wood is used for fuel. Among the shrubs
calatropis gigantea (madar or kharg) and deheers, a small bushy shrub with thorns and red
berries, which are sweet and edible, form the most common and wide spread. In some places
the natives possess fig-trees, vines, pomegranate trees, and cotton shrubs. The only wild
animals of prey are jackals and foxes ; the only game being the deer and hare. Camels and
donkeys are the sole beasts of burden, and are also used for riding purposes.
Among the edible birds are pigeons, doves, rock partridges (grey), wild ducks ; among sea
birds, the flamingoes, curlews, cranes, and other waterfowls ; there are serpents too, and a few
cases of snake-bites carne under my treatment, but none of them proved fatal. It appears that
snakes are not very poisonous here.
A few passing remarks on the mineral springs and salt mines, &c., on the island of Kishin
and its neighbourhood, I now purpose to make.
There is a small village, called Salakh, inhabited by a few fishermen, about 24 miles in
a south-eastern direction from Bassadore, and located close to the sea-shore. At the foot of
the chain of hills close to this village, there is a spring of water of a saltish taste, lukewarm,
and holds a sort of rock-oil of a reddish colour; having a strong odour resembling that of
naphtha. It is skimmed from the surface of the water by the natives. It is highly com--
bustible, burning brightly and yielding a thick smoke. The villagers use this oil locally in
rheumatic complaints, and often burn it in place of oil for light. There are other springs of
water close to a village called Cashoo, about 12 miles from Bassadore ; the water is clear, and
holds alumina and some of its compounds with sulpher. But the most important springs are
the salt springs and their mines. The small salt caves are about 15 miles from Bassadore, and
the neighbourhood of a small village called Cownee. They are situated close to the sea-shore,
and in the interior of a high range of red sand-stone rocks. There is a narrow and low passage
leading into the interior of these grottoes ; through this passage there is a beautifully clear
stream of brine, flowing out into a large and expansive shallow excavation in the ground, where,
as the water evaporates, the salt is deposited in large and beautiful crystals, and the whole
surface presents a snow-white dazzling appearance ; in fact, this spot may be called a salt pan
on a gigantic scale.
The caves are entered by the aforesaid narrow passage, the visitors being obliged to go
almost on knees and elbows through the salt stream, for about 12 yards with lighted candles
to find the passage into these caves. The passage then enlarges into the caves. By candle
light the caves present a most beautiful appearance of a dazzling whiteness. The whole cave
is covered with stalactites and stalagmites, and in some cases bands of varying thickness,
consisting of the purest salt, are observed to extend between the roof and the floor of the caves.
Sometimes these stalagmites, increasing in size by the gradual trickling of briny water from
the roof, dip into the stream running on the floor, and a gain spread out into leaf-like expan
- s i o n s , u n d e r t h e s u r f a c e o f t h e w a t e r . T h e s a l t i s o f t h e f i n e s t q u a l i t y , a n d i s q u i t e f r e e f r o m
all impurities.
The large salt caves or mines are situated about 3 miles distant front these, and in the
same group of rocks. These are situated in the interior of rocks, which are arraned in an
amphitheatre-like manner, the centre of the latter is entered by an open, but long and narrow,
winding, path. The salt here is of less pure quality, and is dug out of the sides and base of hills
by the men employed for the, purpose. Large heaps. of granular salt are made at the base of these