168 ' KHASI HILLS. 



Trappean rocks are also seen South of Chen-a Poonjee. Below the 

 great ridge, or to the West of the hill under Maw-m'luh village, at an 

 elevation of about 2,400 feet above the sea, or about 1,700 feet below 

 the level of Cherra, and, forming the top of the small ridge which here 

 unites Maw-mluh with the partially detached hill on which Laikenso 

 is placed, there occurs an earthy greenstone or claystone, in places very 

 ferruginous ; its fissures being coated with peroxide of iron. It is highly 

 vesicular, the cavities being filled with agates, and agaty flints, of 

 various colours. The rock itself is of a blueish tint. The high-coloured 

 flints, in which a deep earthy red is the prevailing tint, have been des- 

 cribed as jasper (Gleanings in Science, vol. i. p. 

 ^'^^'^' '^' 374). The coloiu- in some pieces is good, but I 



did not see any lumps of good size ; and most of the pieces are greatly 

 shattered. 



An earthy greenstone similar to this is also met with in passing 

 down from the JVlahadeo to Bairung village, and at about the same 

 elevation. The ground between these two localities is too densely 

 covered with jungle to permit its examination sufficiently for tracing the 

 continuity of this trap. 



A. thick vein, or dyke of highly crystalline greenstone, passes in a 



Dyke near Mooshye. North-East and South- West direction across the 



excellent road reflects the highest credit on the skill of Col. Lister, who planned and 

 executed it throughout. It is, with scarcely an exception, admirably laid out, and con- 

 structed; while the remarkably well-turned bridges of cut stone, by which the larger 

 streams are crossed, show what can be done by the well directed intelligence of the natives 

 of these hills. The communication across the Boga-pani, one of tlie largest and most 

 dangerous streams on this line of road, was interrupted early in 1851 by the carrying .away 

 of the Suspension Bridge in a great flood, which flood also swept away several other bridges 

 on the road. These latter have all been repau-ed, or renewed, but I am not aware 

 that any thing has been done to re-open the communication across this torrent. The 

 mail bags are still, I suppose, passed across during the rains suspended to a rattan stretched 

 between the banks, and the only means of crossing for some months in the year is by a 

 temporary bridge of the rudest construction put up by the natives. 



