GRANITOID AREAS. 35 



2,097 feet above sea-level, and commands a very extensive and fine view 

 over both sea and land. 1 



The bedding- of the rock in the northern hills is obscure in the 

 extreme, but there can be no doubt as to the position of the underlying 

 band of quartzites so well displayed in the low ridge south of Rama- 

 chandrapuram. 



The decomposition of this intensely hornblendic rock gives rise to 

 the formation of much gravelly kankar (concretionary tufa), a great 

 thickness of which is to be seen near the bund of the upper of the two 

 large tanks standing within the northern apex of the synclinal basin. 



The Chimakurti mountain is a great solid-looking mass, and possesses 

 but few elements of the picturesque as seen from a distance. It looks 

 best from the south near Chillamkur. From the north or north-east 

 the concentric arrangement of the dark central mass of hornblendic 

 rock and the surrounding quartzite beds is very distinctly seen. The 

 soil covering the small area of approximately level ground close to the 

 summit is of dark, nearly black, colour, a true humus in fact, and its 

 existence proves that the mountain was formerly very much better 

 wooded than now. 



Tors, or isolated blocks formed by the action of atmospheric agencies 



on rocks having a large spheroidal structure, or 

 Tors. . . . 



much cut up by systems or jointing, are common 



enough throughout the granitoid areas above referred to, but none of 



very remarkable size or boldness of outline were noted, and in these 



respects they are greatly inferior to the tors of other granitoid regions, 



e.g., the neighbourhood of Adoni, in Bellary district, or the granitoid 



1 If the Government scheme of creating a new Collectorate, with Ongole as its 

 chief town, he carried out, the Chimakurti mountain will probably before long be built 

 upon and used as a sanitarium. Though not of great height, dwellers on the summit, 

 where there is plenty of room for several houses at an elevation of 2,000 feet, would pro- 

 bably be out of reach of the terribly hot land wind. The absence of all jungle and the 

 complete isolation of the mountain will also most likely prevent the formation of all 

 malaria. The only real difficulty at first will be about the water-supply. 



( 35 ) 



