GEOGNOSY OF PENINSXJLA.R INDIA. 347 



MINERAL SUBSTANCES USEFOL IN' THE ARTS POUND IN MIDDLB 



AND PENINSULAR INDIA. 



1 Eocks^'2. Earthy Minerals— 3. Saline Minerals-A. In- 

 'flammable Minerals— 5. Metallic Minerals. 



1, EOCKS. 



1. Granite and Syenite.— These rocks, which extend with 

 few interruptions from Cape Comorin to beyond Nagpore 

 and Ellichpore, occupying a great part of the Carnatic, 

 Malabar, and Mysore, nearly the whole of the nizam s do- 

 minions, and a large part of Bahar, and which are met with 

 still farther to the north,— m Malwah, Bundelcund, the 

 neighbourhood of Delhi, and, as already mentioned, even 

 high among the Himmalehs,— are interesting in an econo- 

 mical view. Granite is not generally employed m India as 

 a building stone, on account of the great expense m work- 

 ing it ; but large slabs are sometimes brought into the ba- 

 zars for sale by the Wudrahs (a vagrant class of people, 

 somewhat resembling gipsies), and are used for paving the 

 floors of verandas in the better sort of native houses, and 

 other similar purposes. It is also hewn into hand-mills for 

 grinding corn; two or four of which load an ass or bul- 

 lock, and are thus carried to the bazar for sale. These are 

 the primeval mills of all countries, from the North Cape of 

 Europe to Cape Comorin, and are the same as are men- 

 tioned in Scripture. The ancient Hindoo temples at Ana- 

 eoondy, now partly in ruins, are built of gray granite, or 

 rather syenite. The massive and gloomy style of architect- 

 ure which characterizes all Hindoo buildings, is also met 

 with here ; but in one instance it has to a certam degree 

 been departed from, for in one of the principal buildmgs 

 there is an extensive colonnade, the columns of which are 

 liaht, with small pedestals and capitals, and approaching 

 somewhat in their proportions to the Grecian. Some ot the 

 pillars are tastefully carved with flowers. A few are in the 

 form of caryatides. They support immense slabs of granite, 

 which are car\'ed on their under surface, so as to form an 

 ornamental roof. The largest of these slabs, which are in 

 the central part of the building, are at least thirty feet long. 

 A black coloured trap, which occurs imbedded ui the syemie 



