156 Mr. Fraser's Journej/ from Delhi io Bombai/. 



as if a kernel. The more solid rock is universally the dark-coloured basalt, 

 which sometimes assumes the hexagonal appearance remarked in the bed 

 of the Chumbul and of several other rivers ; and now and then approaches 

 nearly to the columnar form. Throughout this range of hills^ and generally 

 among the whole of the trap formation in these parts, fragments of quartz 

 and zeolite of various shapes are found scattered in great abundance. Quartz 

 is found also in veins in the basalt, as well as in geodes, in which calcareous 

 spar very often fills up the interstices of the quartz crystals. 



The basalt in these countries rarely assumes the columnar form ; but at 

 Mundlisoor, on the banks of the Nurbuddah, a small hill exhibits on its crest 

 a series of basaltic pillars, chiefly hexagonal : they are about a foot in diame- 

 ter, and from two to four feet high ; and a fine tessellated pavement is formed 

 by their tops, which are on a level with part of the ground. A dyke of 

 very compact stone, like Lydian stone, crosses the basalt on the river bank, 

 near the same place, projecting from its surface in a remarkable manner. 



The valley of Nemaur, on both sides of the Nurbuddah, exhibits the same 

 geological phaenomena as Malwa : we however passed along the top of the 

 Vindhya range, reascending the ghats, and observing formations perfectly 

 similar to those at Jam, at Mundoo (the ruins of an old town on the verge of 

 the descent), at Dhar, and some other places in the neighbourhood, as well 

 as at Oogen. Reddish limestone, of a beautiful and remarkable character*, 

 is here used in ornamental buildings ; I could not learn whence it came, but 

 from the quantity made use of, it cannot be far from Mundoo. There was 

 likewise in use a species of black marble, which probably is also found in the 

 neighbourhood. 



Passing on to the westward, we descended the mountains at Tanda-ghat, 

 between Bhopawar and Bang. The ghat itself consists of the same rocks as the 

 other parts of the hills, — basalt and amygdaloid, with zeolite and quartz in vari- 

 ous shapes ; but at the foot of the hill, and among the lower rocky rising grounds, 

 we found a rock consisting of quartz and felspar, apparently belonging to 

 the granitic formation : it occurred in a hollow, and was lost in the rising 

 of the next hill, not extending to any considerable distance. A little further 

 on clay-slate resembling greywacke slate was found, in vertical strata (as in 

 the Ferimar hills), running about north-west and south-east; and gneiss 

 occurred several times in large masses : quartz was more abundant ; and we 



* This stone appears to consist of an intimate mixture of yellowish-grey splintery limestone, 

 similar to that of Neemuck, with limestone of a reddish hue. The specimen contains fragments of 

 coral, and small specks of quartz. — Ed. 



