154 On the Granite formation 



level, and in consequence a road traverses it, (from Vaniam- 

 baddy to Oossoor,) being part of the road between Madras 

 and Bangalore, on which there is no Ghaut, the rise 

 being quite gradual until close to the Mysore country, 

 where the only slightly abrupt ascent occurs. The principal 

 towns are Vaniambaddy, Trippatore, Dorampoory, Pauleode, 

 Kistnagherry, Denkanicottah, Kellamungalum, and Oossoor. 

 The general level is about 2500 feet above the sea. Salem 

 is much lower than the Barramahal, and is separated from 

 it at Topoor. Broken rocks are common to it ; but although 

 it has several very elevated tracts of table land, yet granite 

 is not so frequent as in the Barramahal. 



The granitic tracts of Great Britain are not of great 

 extent, and they are besides so much enveloped by schists, 

 as to prevent their connexion being observed. On the 

 continent of Europe also, there is no great development of 

 any continued granite formation, and we have therefore no 

 complete account of any granite tract, as it appears most 

 probable that the whole of the Peninsula of South India is a 

 continued granitic formation, on which in most parts the 

 superformed schists and arable soils are so shallow as to 

 afford us admirable opportunities of examining and follow- 

 ing out this extensive formation in all its changes and vari- 

 ations of structure, it is, therefore, desirable that the atten- 

 tion of observers should be turned to this subject. 



For this purpose, a complete account of some particular 

 granite formation is very desirable for the purpose of re- 

 ference ; but unfortunately there is not in print (that I am 

 aware of,) any which can be useful. McCulloch's Western 

 Isles is meagre in its details of granite, in consequence of 

 the rock occurring only in Arran, Mull, and the Isle of Man.* 

 His account of granite in the classification of rocks, and 



* The rock of St. Kilda appears from the description also to be hornblende in 

 granite, although from its connection with trap, it is classed with the syenites, 

 (McCulloch's overlying rock.) 



