Geology of the Bhurtpoor District. 833 



something amid the scenes of our achievements, to tell to future 

 generations of the existence of one of the most extraordinary 

 empires that the world ever witnessed, and to mark the spots 

 where our footsteps have been. In this point of view, the labours 

 of the geologist acquire additional importance : but to our sub- 

 ject. 



The salmon-coloured sandstone is less liable than the red 

 to be affected by" atmospheric influences. The former is a re- 

 markably fine freestone, and may be had in slabs of any magni- 

 tude ; it is admirably adapted for paving and hearth stones ; 

 and is even capable of being used in the finer kinds of ornamen- 

 tal architecture. A remarkably handsome chimney-piece of this 

 rock is in the possession of Colonel Lockhart, our political agent 

 at Bhurtpoor, which, in chasteness of design and minuteness of 

 sculpture, could scarcely have been surpassed had the finest 

 marble been employed in its fabrication *. 



The sandstones under review belong to that great formation 

 so extensively distributed throughout Hindostan, and which has 

 been pretty generally considered as the type of the new red 

 sandstone of England. The rocks of this series, which occjpy 

 so conspicuous a place in the geology of the southern boundary 

 of the valley of the Ganges and Jumna, appear to be continued 

 on with but little interruption into the Bhurtpoor district, where 

 they occasionally are found near the surface, though, generally 

 speaking, they are hid from view by the alluvia of the Gangetic 

 provinces. The latter in many cases seem to occupy extensive 

 internal basins or valleys in this formation. 



In the Bhurtpoor district, as elsewhere, the sandstones are 

 characterized by the nearly horizontal position of the strata, and 



• The marble which was so extensively employed by the Agra architects du- 

 ring the reigns of Jehanghir and Shah Jehan, was brought from Makrana in 

 the Joudpoor district ; and appears to be a very durable stone. Unfortunate- 

 ly it was but too often associated in the same building with the more perish- 

 able sandstones. Shah Jehan, indeed, encouraged a chaster style of archi- 

 tecture ; and the Laj Machal, where the ashes of this monarch now mingle 

 with those of his beloved and beautiful Begum, is still preserved in all its pris* 

 tine splendour. This magnificent mausoleum is, indeed, well suited to his 

 gorgeous title of " King of the World." In the exquisite mosques for which 

 the Laj is so celebrated, a variety of agates, jaspers, coloured marble, helio- 

 tropes, with lapes lazuli, plasma, and similar minerals, are employed ; but 1 

 have seen none of the rubies and other gems which travellers have described 

 as abounding in this edifice. 



