Mr. Eraser's Journey from Delhi to Bombay. 153 



Rocks were likewise met with here as at Ajmere, that seemed to defy 

 classification ; masses of quartz, schist, and granite, huddled together in 

 pieces of all sizes, as if the whole had been overthrov/n and heaped into one 

 mass of confusion. Above all this, reddish felspar and quartz rock are always 

 found in strata, dipping at various angles from thirty-five to eighty degrees to 

 the horizon. 



Besides these predominating rocks, it is probable that green jasper and 

 porphyry occur in the vicinity of Odeepoor, as articles and ornaments of these 

 substances are seen in the city. A fine black stone resembling marble is also 

 much in use, which is susceptible of a considerable degree of polish, and is 

 cut into beautiful sculptures and ornaments : it is probably only a variety of 

 the dark slate of the countiy. Marble, both white and grey, is also much 

 employed, but it all comes from Rajnughur, near Kankerowlee. 



From Odeepoor our route lay towards Neemuck. The distance from the 

 former place to the eastern boundary of the hills among which it is situated, is 

 about thirteen miles ; and from hence a comparatively plain and open country 

 commences, with but one or two hills rising above its level, and these were 

 near the range we had passed. The rock was of precisely the same red gra- 

 nite that we saw at Odeepoor ; and the connexion seems to be preserved as far 

 as a range of low hills about fifty to sixty miles east of that place, which con- 

 sist chiefly of quartz and granite ; but after that point we saw no more of the 

 primitive rocks. 



Just below the range last mentioned, is found a compact limestone of a 

 greenish-grey colour and splintery fracture, effervescing strongly with acids : 

 and this rock seems to form the basis of a considerable tract of country. The 

 strata, which are very distinct, are horizontal, or dip to the north-east or south- 

 west at an angle not greater than from ten to fifteen degrees. The soil that 

 lies on this rock is a loose black mould, which in dry weather gapes and cracks 

 in all directions to a considerable depth. 



In the vicinity were low hills, of a very different character from those we 

 had left ; their tops were level and compressed ; and they looked more like 

 mounds of artificial construction than natural hills. Thes^ were in fact the 

 commencement of the trap formation of Malwa and the Deccan. They ap- 

 peared to consist of yellow or reddish earth, of an ochry nature, with gravel 

 and rounded stones. In the plain, both among this gravel and the black 

 mould, numbers of agate-like pebbles were found of a semi-transparent homy 

 or milky colour; and a few miles onwards, within four or five miles of Nee- 

 muck cantonment, the low round hills were covered with rounded stones in 

 great profusion, and of all sizes, consisting of the black basalt, that forms the 



VOL. VI. X 



