288. The extent of these deposits has not been traced so recently to the westward, but no doubt is entertained, that they attain there also an equal extent, judging from the recollection of former journies. Below Nahun in particular, and near Munta Dihee, at the exit from the Pinjore Doon, very clear traces of them are to be seen. That the Pinjore and Kyarda Doons are, equally with the Dehra Doon, composed of them, I have no doubt. It ought to be stated, before concluding, that in the Dehra Doon, the great thickness appears to be in the centre where the ground is highest. Towards the vallies of the Ganges and Jumna, they diminish very much in thickness, and in the beds of those rivers, may be observed resting on sandstone.

289. Southward of these rounded stones, a very extensive deposit of the red clay, which is very similar to the red strata of the sandstone, prevails. It has often small patches of loose sand. This red gravelly clay lies in a blackish clay of a purer character, very stiff and tenacious at different depths in different places. This latter ap

pears to change to a lighter colour as we descend, and becomes more arenaceous, till at length it changes to a grey sand. My enquiries and observations have not yet been sufficiently general to allow me to identify these deposits with any thing like certainty, indeed it is only very lately I have been able to turn my attention to the subject, and the recent arrival of the boring engine I had ordered from England, precluded the possibility of constructing a proper apparatus and scaffolding for using it with effect, unless the operations were delayed till the ensuing year. I was therefore obliged to content myself with such results as could be obtained without the proper means, and was not able, in consequence, to penetrate beyond twenty-two feet in any of the bores I made; but I hope on my return to the field duties, that I shall be able to continue these enquiries with greater effect.

290. In the meantime, it may be interesting to give the particulars of the few bores I made. The first was at Moradabad, but being new to the operation, it took several days to bore sixteen and a half feet, the particulars were as follows:

Feet. Inches.

-

4 0 Superficial sandy loam forming a very productive soil.

2 5 Brick earth. This is the red clay, which prevails so extensively in Rohilkund, and which so often comes to the

T

Feet. Inches.

surface, forming a substance of a singular hardness, and

excellent materials for roads.

3 7 Reddish micaceous sand. The temperature at this depth 161° was found to be 76° 5′; a thermometer in the

shade marking 58°, and the surface of the ground being

56°.

291. The next boring was at Kusherpoor, where the red clay has a very extensive superficial development. It forms the step described in Arts. 59 and 73, which gives so deceptive an appearance to the direction of the fall or declivity. The spot where the boring was made, was about twenty feet below the surface of this red clay, and the following were the particulars :

Feet. Inches.

2 3 The superficial red clay.

1 3

4 6

1

6

Green sandy clay, water.

Black clay, extremely tenacious.

Light blue sand. The water was in such abundance, as to prevent any further progress; it speedily rose to within

a few feet of the surface. At Huldoon, seven miles north, nearly similar results were obtained.

5 6 A ferruginous sandy clay or loam, latterly becoming more

1 6

stiff.

A greenish clay, getting latterly blackish.

20 A bluish grey clay, partially sandy, not so tenacious, and Gravel under this. The water rose rapid

quite moist.

ly, and prevented any further proceedings.

292. At Jusspore, nine miles N. W. from Kusheepoor, a third boring was made, but the place was injudiciously chosen, being in a hollow, evidently the dry bed of a jeel.

particulars :

Feet. Inches.

The following are the

5 0 Surface sand, which gradually changes to a stiff red clay. 2 0 Red loose sand, damp.

20 Variegated sand and clay, spotted.

3 0 Yellowish sand, changing to light grey, twigs and roots were

found at nine feet, water at 12.

293. At the next place we find the same deposits as at Kusheepoor

1 6 Ditto, of a darker colour and more pure.

10 Grey sand.

Water rose to within a few feet of the surface.

At Afzulgurh, the following particulars were noted:

Feet. Inches.

6 0 Superficial loam small nests, and veins of a semi-carbonised vegetable matter.

The quicksand falling in prevented any further operation. The black clay proved to be an excellent potter's clay, and baked without changing colour. It formed a very porous article, and was very acceptable to the potters, who were ignorant of the existence of any such clay in their neighbourhood.

294. At

Feet. Inches.

the following particulars were noted :—

7 6 The superficial loams yellowish, and more sandy latterly. It forms an excellent soil, and is known by the provincial

2 6 Dark bluish clay, very stiff, when wet almost black, latterly

The temperature was observed to be 73°, once at six feet, and again at eight feet, that of the surface being 59°.

295. I have here concluded the geological details; some few particulars have been omitted in their places, but will be hereafter inserted with fresh matter, which I hope will render it something more complete. I have principally to regret, that the circumstances under which these papers have been prepared, have prevented the execution of the original design of referring in the account of the occurrence of rocks by number to the particular specimen collected. Such a practice will be of very great advantage, and will indeed give the above detail far more authority, than it could possible otherwise have. I shall now proceed to state, in a few words, the general results to which they lead.

SECTION III.

RECAPITULATION.

296. In the details just minuteness of description,

given, I have necessarily entered into a which to the general reader must be tiresome in no small degree. The paper being intended as a record of observations, it was necessary to be particular; but I shall attempt in this section to throw together the general results, comparing them afterwards with received opinions, and illustrating the whole in the best manner my limited reading will permit.

297. It appears then, that in these mountains gneiss occupies the greater part of the surface, forming a band of 24 miles in breadth, and including within its boundaries all the elevated summits, but one, of the table, at Art. 39. Of these all that have been approached sufficiently near to determine the point are certainly gneiss, that is, if distinct, thin, and well-marked strata be any ground for deciding. Other evidence there can be none, as it is impossible, by actual examination, to ascertain what rock is at the summit. It rises then most probably to the height of 25,709 feet,* while the lowest point is only elevated 2,800.

* Captain Webb gives 25,669 as the height above the sea-Journal of Science. The paper by Major Hodgson and myself in the 14th Vol. As. Res. has 25,749. 1 have taken the mean.

If we suppose the lower strata continuous across this tract, and allow for the inclination, we shall have eight miles for the extreme thickness of this formation, and about six for its mean value.

298. The direction of this zone of gneiss is generally, I might say almost always, North 60° West, being thus parallel at once to the direction of the line of greatest elevation, and also to the general bearing or tendency of the mountain land. The inclination lies between 20° and 30° in by far the greater number of instances. It is, however, sometimes, though very rarely, as high as 50°, and in one solitary instance was observed to be 56°. There are very few reversals of the dip, at least towards the centre or middle of this zone; but along the southern boundary, which is very irregular in its outline, forming various incursions into the adjoining zone of schists, there do occur several irregularities both in dip and inclination, and the former is sometimes reversed. That it is pretty regular in general, however, is proved by the fact noticed by all travellers, of the uniformity of aspect in the sides of slopes and precipices in these mountains.

299. The character of this rock is highly crystalline, and it appears to consist almost always of the regular ingredients, and united in the usual regular proportions. It is surprising how few varieties present themselves in so extensive a tract of country, and in general, these varieties differ more in colour and grain than in mineralogical character. The occurrence of imbedded minerals is rare, and of these only, the most common have been observed, as quartz, garnet, and kyanite. It is almost equally barren in beds, containing only some very small ones of hornblende rock, quartz, limestone, and mica slate. Of the two last, I do not know more than one or two instances of each. In fact, there is a character of sameness throughout this formation, extremely tiresome to the geological traveller, as continually disappointing him in his hopes of meeting with something new and interesting.

300. Veins of granite are numerous, particularly towards the central or highest parts; but no beds have yet been found, the granite of Wongtoo being supposed to be veinous. Towards the boundary, however, there are some patches, which would appear to have some connection with a series of beds found beyond the limits of the gneiss, and surrounded generally by rocks of a more earthy and less crystalline character. These latter beds have been described as occurring at