Geologi/ of part of Asia Minor. 59 1 



they are probably connected with the hills to the N.E., which rise up to the 

 north of Sarikaraman. Following- the valley, we came again upon horizontal 

 beds of tertiary limestone, but less pure than at the places before mentioned, 

 and sometimes approaching to a nodular or concretionary structure. These 

 beds rest against a red granite consisting of quartz and feldspar, which forms 

 the termination of the valley, and stretching across from north to south con- 

 nects the two ranges of igneous rocks, and may be said to mark the watershed 

 between the Halys and the Salt Lake. 



Beyond this granite are other protruding masses of trap and greenstone ; 

 and further on, the ground slopes gently to Tatlar, and is covered with 

 large angular fragments of basalt. At that village a deep ravine exhibits 

 a good section of horizontal beds of light-coloured tuff, or pumiceous sand, of 

 considerable dimensions, covered with a thick capping of black basalt, slightly 

 and irregularly columnar, which forms an extensive table-land, stretching 

 away far to the north and east. This basalt is very vesicular in places, and 

 almost as rugged on the surface as a modern stream of lava. It appears to have 

 issued from one of the two lofty craters to the eastward, which are covered to 

 a great height with loose scoriae, cinders, and ashes. Other volcanic cones are 

 visible to the south-east, from which streams of lava or basalt have also issued. 

 Nor have all the igneous products of Tatlar been derived from one eruption. 

 To the south-east of the village, and a little higher up the ravine, is a 

 stream of lava, much more recent than that which forms the table-land to the 

 east and north of the village ; for it has not only flowed at a much lower level, 

 but is seen in one place at the foot of the steep escarpment of the older basalt ; 

 its surface also is considerably rougher. It flowed in some places over the 

 more ancient rock, and escaped through a narrow gorge or opening in the cliff 

 into the plain below. This is visible a short way down the valley to the north 

 of the village. Still the stream is so old, that the river has worn a way round 

 it to the south-west, leaving a low cliff of tuff, also capped with basalt. 



The other volcanic cones, to the south-east, have shallow circular depres- 

 sions on the summit. In front of the most northern one, is said to be a small 

 lake of brackish water ; but no salt is obtained there. 



The salt mines of Hadji Bektash are stated to be nine miles to the N.N.W., 

 and to be very deep. The hills, amongst which they are situated, consist ap- 

 parently of red marl and sand ; and are beyond the several table-lands capped 

 with basaltic plateaux, which extend four or five miles to the N. and N.N.E., 

 and appear to belong to the same system as the basalt of Tatlar. 



In the ravine, near Tatlar, are a few of the remarkable conical hillocks 

 which occur in great numbers further east, in the vicinity of Urgub. They 



