STRUCTUEE OF SEWALIK HILLS. 



41 



The minerals in this tract, west of the Jumna, correspond 

 with those to the eastward, with the exception of the presence 

 of the gold, which occurs in the beds of the rivers in these 

 mountains, both eastward of the Ganges and westward of the 

 jTamna ; but I am not aware of its existence in the interme- 

 diate tract. Under IS'ahun, gold-washers are constantly em- 

 ployed dm'uig the dry months ; their daily return varying from 

 two annas to two rupees, or from dd. to 4s. The process is 

 extremely rude. A piece of board, a long wooden trough, a 

 ladle made out of a gourd, a sieve of the large grass which 

 grows so abundantly in this part of the country, and a piece 

 of hollow bamboo with a little quicksilver, constitute the 

 portable apparatus of these most .primitive washers for the 

 precious metal. ^ A great deal of the gold-dust must neces- 

 sarily be lost by this method of proceeding; and all the 

 mercury, as it is evaporated in open air. The grains of gold 

 are not larger than the small scales of mica, so common in 

 :ffver sand; and I have not heard that the metal has been 

 found in large masses. This gold, too, has its localities, 

 some streams being much richer than others. Where is the 

 fountain head ? In some stratum of this alluvium perhaps, 

 yet to be discovered, as the streams have no connection with 

 •the higher moimtains. A description of the washers, and the 

 method practised by them eastward of the Ganges, have been 

 given in the 'Journal of the Asiatic Society; ' and as there is 

 little difference in the apparatus used at both places, it is not 

 necessary to refer to it farther. 



Some of the fossils obtained by Mr. Colebrooke in the hills 

 near Cooch Behar, and described by Mr. Pentland,^ are iden- 

 tical with some of those obtained by the present discovery; 

 and as the former were found in the most eastern extremity 

 of this Hne, it is possible that a careful examination would 

 prove the existence of animal remains throughout the whole 

 of the intermediate mountains ; all the tract being probably 

 tei^iary. An inquiry into the difference between the hills 

 bounded by the Ganges and Jumna, and those westward of 

 the latter; and into the confused and interminable disloca- 

 tions, without any flats in the fbrmer, and the more scattered 

 ridges with the intermediate plateaux of the latter, would 



distinct species were not made on de- 

 tached teeth. A repeated examination 

 of the jaws and teeth described by Mr. 

 Clift, and the knowledge that his opinion 

 was formed from considering the size and 

 number of the transverse ridges in rela- 

 tion to the length and breadth of the 

 teeth, have tended to confirm my belief in 

 the establishment of two species, which I 

 must retain until further and more definite 



evidence to the contrary is adduced. — 

 Eefeeee Geol. Soc. 



' See furtlier particulars of the gold- 

 washings in the Gumte river, by Captain 

 Cautley, Journal Asiatic Society of Ben- 

 gal, vol. iv. p. 279; plate 7; April, 

 1835. 



' Geological Transactions, 2nd Series, 

 vol. iii. p. 393 ; plate 45. 



