LOFTUS — TURKO-PERSIAN FRONTIER. 313 



more towards the N.E., it quits the Lake and crosses a low rising 

 ground. At the highest point of this rise, six miles from Van, a 

 few slate-rocks project through the red and blue marls of the Kuz- 

 zuljah Dagh, which here dips into the plain on the S.W. At the 

 village of Derlashen the yellow compact limestone rises in a thin bed 

 from beneath the marls. After crossing the Mermiit Chai, and an 

 irregular plain surrounded by peaks of limestone and variegated 

 marls, the summit of an easy limestone pass is attained, which over- 

 looks the N.E. spur of the lake. At the foot of this pass, on the 

 north side, a thin overflow of black basaltic lava covers up the lime- 

 stone ; its lower portion is compact, but on nearing the surface it 

 becomes highly vesicular, and is strewed with blocks and pieces of 

 black scoriae. The basalt borders the shore of the Lake in a low 

 range, and it constitutes the N.W. side of the Kharpanak promon- 

 tory, extending to near Mirik, but not crossing to the east of the 

 road between Van and the latter place. At the entrance to Merek 

 village, however, the basalt disappears, and its place is supplied by 

 some conspicupus peaks of white limestone. The village is situated 

 at the height of 1000 feet above the Lake; and in the cliffs the 

 following descending section is observed : — 



1. A confused and broken mass of compact white lime- 



stone ; its position not satisfactorily made out with 

 regard to the rocks of the section ; the thickness very 

 considerable. This is the hmestone which appears in 

 peaks above the village. 



2. Altered red clays ; thickness unknown, but considerable. 



3. Grey volcanic tuff, containing regular layers of ap- 



parently water-worn pumice, and various volcanic 

 products. In aspect it sometimes resembles a coarse 

 grit, but is very light 150 ft. 



4. Cream-coloured tuff, with larger lumps of yellow 



pumice, which easily crumble to powder ; very light 



to the touch 40 ft. 



5. Highly vesicular, heavy, brownish-blue lava; vesicles 



very large and quite empty. In passing downwards, 

 the vesicles become gradually smaller, until they 

 finally disappear, and the lava at last passes into a 

 dark-blue compact basalt 100 ft. 



6. Alternating gravel-beds and fine sand layers, of a 



delicate light-pink colour ; unaltered by contact with 



the overlying basalt , 250 ft. 



The dip of the beds Nos. 2-6 is at 60"" to the S.W., i. e. from the 

 Lake. 



From this single Section at Mirek it would be impossible to pro- 

 nounce upon the age of any of the deposits. They may belong to 

 the Nummulitic, to the Gypsiferous, or to even a later series. 



From Mirek to the mouth of the Bend i Mahi Su, at the extreme 

 N.E. end of the Lake, the road continues along the shore, having a 

 high basaltic range on the S.E., which sends down several spurs 



