Geology 



the somewhat elaborate system of drainage channels and 

 pumps that it could be rendered fit for cultivation, as 

 even in the absence of floods much water percolated 

 through from the bed of the river. 



When drained, however, it fully repaid the outlay, 

 as it was extremely fertile and even in the driest season 

 never suffered from want of moisture. 



The farmer to whom the jetty belonged told us that 

 there had been several disastrous floods owing to the 

 waters of the river breaking through weak places in the 

 banks, and he had almost decided to give up his home- 

 stead and land, which he had rendered fruitful by such 

 heavy toil, and to start afresh at some more favoured 

 locality farther inland, when the Government came to the 

 rescue and repaired the broken banks, strengthened weak 

 places, and appointed an inspecting engineer and a staff 

 of labourers to keep the embankments in repair. 



He further informed us that the opposite bank was 

 still uncultivated, and that there we could see the 

 country in its primitive condition. 



Before going on board again we visited a new drain- 

 age canal which was in process of excavation, so as to 

 obtain some idea of the nature of the materials of which 

 the land consisted. The cutting was some 10 feet deep, 

 and was excavated in fine sand and silt, with a few layers 

 of gravel, consisting of small rounded pebbles, with a 

 layer of finer material of a muddy character at the top. 

 These were all clearly river-borne sediments, and it was 

 evident that we were dealing with the " alluvium" of a 

 flood-plain. 



In the materials which had been thrown out of the 

 excavation, we found some bones and teeth of a deer, a 



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