90 FOOTE : SOUTH MAHRATTA COUNTRY. 



conveniently be called the Gokak scarp, and the northern and larger half 

 of which is shown in the panoramic sketch, is of great geological anti- 

 quity j it must have existed in something like its present shape prior to 

 the pouring out of many, if not of all, the flows of the Deecan trap 

 series. This is proved by the fact that trap-flows low down in the 

 series lapped round the very base of the scarp, and have in part been left 

 there. There can, indeed, be little doubt that the amount of denudation 

 the Kaladgi basin was subjected to before the flows of the Deecan trap 

 period were poured out over it, much exceeded the amount it has lost 

 since it again came, under atmospheric action. 



Two small, but very conspicuous outliers of the basement conglo- 

 merate beds, cap isolated, and very nearly perfectly 

 Gokak outHers. _ . .. J r j 



conical hills, one on either side of the Ghatprabha, 



where it emerges from the gorge below the falls. The conglomerate 

 beds form sharply scarped table-tops to the two hills, which consist of horn- 

 blendic and micaceous schists. The larger one, which rises more than 

 600 feet over the town of Gokak, was formerly fortified. It overlooks a 

 great part of the quartzite plateau which stretches away far to the south- 

 west."^ 



Very beautiful cliffs of the same quartzites are to be seen in the valley 



Gorge of the Markan- of the Markandeya river, two miles south-west of 



deya nver. Gokak, and specially in a great ravine, opening 



into it fi'om the south from the Karabgatti (Kurrubguttee) plateau.f 



The cliffs are bright red, and contrast superbly with the green jungle 



* The scorings on the side of this hill as shown in the panoramic view forming the 

 frontispiece have been a good deal exaggerated by the lithographic artist. 



t It is not unlikely that there is an inlier of gneiss exposed in the great ravine 

 in question. I did not enter it when examining the gorge from the north, not suspecting 

 any exposure of other rocks ; but the view from above raised doubts in my mind whether 

 the quartzites which form the base of the Markandeya valley nearer to Gokak had not been 

 cut through by denudation higher up. I was unable to descend into the ravine, as the 

 cliffs surrounding it are perpendicular ; and being on the march to a distant camp could not 

 afford time to make a long detour j while no opportunity presented itself of revisiting the 

 place, 



( 90 ) 



