Baza and Alhama. 67 



rent ; and the labourers also occasionally discover them in 

 ploughing the disintegrated surface of the contiguous tract. 



Havhig stated these general and preliminary observations, I 

 shall proceed to notice, Jirst, the appearances presented along 

 the line of road * from Granada to Alhama ; and, 2c?/z/, offer a 

 more minute detail of the tertiary beds, displayed in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the latter village. 



1. From Granada to Alhama "f. 



After crossing the Genii, which flows by the side of the 

 beautiful Alameda J of Granada, the road proceeds for about 

 four miles over a horizontal plain in a fine state of cultivation, 

 the upper stratum of which consists of ia disintegrated earthy 

 conglomerate, although in some places it exhibits a sandy loam. 

 Beyond the little village of Gavia, the ground begins to rise 

 and assumes a marly character. In several hillocks adjoining 

 the line of road, white granular gypsum is observed alternating 

 with thin strata of indurated marl, and, indeed, generally comes 

 to day on each side of the road, and at times constitutes its 

 foundation, during the gradual ascent to the summit of a consi- 

 derable hill it crosses before reaching the village of La Mala. 

 From the west of the hill to this village, which is about eight 

 miles distant from Granada, there is a long descent j during which 

 the road passes over three different beds of gypsum identical 

 in structure and colour to that last mentioned, the intervening 

 spaces exhibiting light earthy marl which separates strata of in- 

 durated marly sandstone abounding in small shining particles of 

 mica, and from one to four inches thick. The latter alternate 

 with layers of fibrous gypsum half an inch thick, and with 

 other laminae not two lines in thickness, whose cross fracture dis- 

 plays minute almost microscopic leaves, if I may be allowed so to 

 call them, of this mineral, accompanied by others equally delicate 

 of arenaceous marl, the surface of which is generally resplendent 

 with a confused crystalline investment of the same mineral. 

 There is great variety and apparent confusion in the dip of all 

 these strata and their alternating laminae, most of which, how- 

 ever, incUne at a considerable angle towards the south-west, but 



" This is the horse road from Granada to Malaga. 



t See section from Mediterranean, to Granada. % Public walk. 



