PREVIOUS OBSERVERS. / 



reference to the Rajmehal hills the following* passage occurs : — " The sea 

 " coast may be traced from the Nilghiri mountains to Rajmehal, where 

 " it turns suddenly to the west. There the shore is bold and rises 

 " abruptly, forming a promontory consisting of large rounded stones 

 " irregularly heaped together. These stones are in general of an oval 

 " yet irregular shape, about two feet long, sometimes three * * * * 

 " I found some volcanic nuclei above one foot and a half in diameter 

 " in one that was broken the interior coats were very obvious, the 

 " outward surface was remarkable for numerous cracks and fissures, some 

 " very deep, and all forming together a variety of irregular figures. 

 * * * I conceive the cascade of Motijharna near this place to be 

 " the remains of the crater of a volcano." 



By a footnote we are informed that a German gentleman, in con- 

 sequence of this opinion, visited the locality and " wrote a short essay, in 

 " which he proves these appearances to be volcanic, and the cascade to be 

 " the indubitable remains of the crater of a volcano." 



In a paper on the geology of the Ganges from Calcutta to Cawn- 



pore bv Dr. J. Adam, some remarks occur upon 

 Dr. Adam, 1821 * " ,,.,.. ,-. 



the character of the rocks which impinge on tne 



river at Sikrigali, Pointi, and Vidrasrong ; the granitic islands in 



the bed of the river at Colgong are also described. 



In a posthumous paper by Mr. Jones, entitled c Some Particulars 

 regarding the Mineral Productions of Bengal 5 , 

 the Rajmehal hills are said to be primitive moun- 

 tains composed of black whinstone. The hills at the foot of the 

 mountains according to this writer produce flint, nodular iron ore, and 

 beautiful agates of various descriptions, quartz crystallizations and hard 

 boulder stones fit for paving. It is stated that large iron mines have 

 been worked about Sikrigali and Pointi. The presence of kunkur in 



* Geol. Soc. Trans., 1st Ser., Vol. V, London, 1821. 

 f Gleanings in Science I, p, 281. 



I 161 ) 



