Baza and Alhama. ggg 



character, and is charged with innumerable minute particles of 

 mica, which give to the surface of the various pyramidal and 

 columnar figures, into which it is worked, a shining and splen- 

 dent aspect, and is evidently the result of the destruction of 

 those older rocks of gneiss and mica-slate, predominalino- in the 

 neighbouring primitive chain. At the distance of about three 

 miles from the road which passes from Diesma to Guadiz, and in- 

 tervening between the former and the Sierra Nevada, there is a 

 singular httle tract, surrounded on every side by the deposit 

 which occupies this portion of the area, composed of a tufaceous 

 yellow ochreous mass, with interspersed particles of laminated 

 gypsum, in which the hot mineral waters, known by the name 

 of Bafios de Graena, take their origin. 



From Guadiz to Baza a high ridge of transition * limestone, 

 resting upon greywacke and clay slate, intersected by numerous 

 quartz-veins, runs parallel to and at a short distance from the 

 road on the south side, and throws out ramifications which 

 extend beyond it in the opposite direction. These appear- 

 ances continue as far as a public-house or venta, called La 

 Venta de Gor, between which and Baza an inclined plane, ex- 

 hibiting on its surface an indurated stratum of conglomerate, of 

 little thickness and frequently broken up, extends from the im- 

 mediate base of the ridge, or inosculates between its ramifications, 

 towards the lower and central portions of the area. This con- 

 glomerate is formed of fragments of the rocks now existing in the 

 adjoining ridge, imbedded in a reddish calc-argillaceous cement. 

 It is covered with wild plants and evergreens ; but the predo- 

 minating shrub is the juniper. It therefore appears, that from 

 Granada to Guadiz the i-oad is bounded on the south by the 

 primitive chain of Sierra Nevada, and between the latter city 

 and Baza, by a ridge of transition limestone : it may be stated 

 indeed in general terms, that the whole district between this line 

 of road and the Mediterranean coast is composed of primary and 

 transition rocks. 



Towards the north of the same line of road as far as Diesma, 

 the nummuiite secondary limestone stated to constitute the rido-e 

 of the latter name, prevails for a considerable extent over a 



• Lead-ore has been found and worked in various parts of this ri<lge. 



