S78 Capt. Cautley on the Sevdlik Hills. 



of the outline, depending on that abundance of clay and carbonate of lime 

 throughout the whole formation, which permits even the shingle-beds to hold 

 up their pointed summits in the wildest manner imaginable. At places, a per- 

 fectly inaccessible needle of shingle raises its head far above the others, and 

 is crowned by one solitary fir tree, Pinus longifolia. This conical form, pro- 

 duced in the clays by weathering, is sometimes magnificently displayed, by the 

 whole face of a cliff, consisting of light pink, yellow, and blue clays, being 

 externally decorated with small conical spires of the clay from top to bottom, 

 a height of 1000 feet from the bed of the river. The origin of this structure 

 is due simply to a little coping stone, of some harder material than the matrix 

 of the strata, and upon which the weather does not act so rapidly as upon the 

 clay. Under a bright sun, the beauty of these cliffs, with their illumined pin- 

 nacles, is exquisite ; particularly westward of the Jumna. I have before 

 adverted to the presence of great abundance of lime, forming stalactites, and 

 the cement of the sandstone and conglomerate. There is another striking 

 method of deposition on the surface*of the large stones which lie in the beds 

 of the rivers, and which, during the greater part of the year, are in contact 

 with the water. The substance is very similar in appearance to the coarse 

 brown paper made in this country ; and is produced by the water, while 

 washing the stone, depositing its lime, and entangling the finer particles of 

 vegetable matter, sand and mica, until the stone acquires a superficial coaling, 

 of a brownish yellow colour, which on removal resembles the substance before 

 mentioned. 



Manukmow, near Suharunpoor, 

 June 30, 1835. 



Note b? the Editor. 

 For detailed descriptions, by Capt. Cautley, Dr. Falconer, Lieut. Baker, and others, of the 

 most important animals found in the Sevalic Hills, see Asiatic Researches; Calcutta, 1836; 

 vol. xix. Part. I. ; and Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, No. 35. vol. iii. p. 527 ; Nos. 45, 

 46, and 48. vol. iv. pp. 495, 565, 706.; Nos. 49, 53, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60. vol. v. pp. 38, 291, 

 294, 486, 579, 661, 739, 768. 



