1835.] and Site of Fossil Bones in the Jumna. 265 



has caused infinite trouble, not only by the interruption a body of 

 any sort must be to the navigation in such a place, but by the irre- 

 gularities of its surface (forming the bed of the river), acting as recepta- 

 cles for the moving kankar and other extraneous substances passing 

 over it, in which have formed irregular masses of conglomerate rock 

 occupying two-thirds of the whole width of the river. These, per- 

 haps, at the time of their formation did not stand more than a few 

 inches above the bed of the river, (the upper surface of the sandstone 

 rock,) but the river deepening its bed in the course of ages has gradu- 

 ally worn away the sandstone, leaving the masses of conglomerate 

 (on which it can make no impression), in the awkward and danger- 

 ous positions which they now occupy, with deep water all round them ; 

 and although some of the most dangerous have been removed, the 

 passage down with a side wind is often impracticable to the clumsy 

 boats used on the Jumna. It has this advantage over Karim Khan, 

 (the worst pass in the river,) that the stream is not near so rapid. 



Those portions of this stratum which lie near the edge are exposed 

 to the etFects of the stream in a minor degree, and stand from one to 

 five feet above the lowest levels, presenting peass and heads of masses 

 at irregular intervals over a space of about 500 by 200 yards. The 

 exteriors of these are of a dirty green colour, which penetrates about 

 one-eighth of an inch, and is, I imagine, caused by the action of the 

 atmosphere. Under this coating, the natural colour of the stone appears, 

 varying between every tinge of yellow and red, and pure white, which 

 would indicate the presence of some portion of iron ; but one sight of 

 the accompanying specimens will convince you, Sir, that but for the 

 presence of some consolidating medium, the sand of itself would never 

 resist the action of any stream. This consolidation occurs in the 

 shape of numerous veins, from one-fourth to two inches in thickness, 

 and from three inches to many feet in width, passing through it in 

 every direction, and rendering it quite impervious to the stream 

 with which it has to contend ; and from the feeble attempts of which 

 it is in fact defended by some masses of volcanic origin, which are de- 

 scribed below. These veins (spec. 2) are either the deposit of some 

 ferruginous spring, which has had a passage over the stratum, and on 

 which the sand has from time to time accumulated, or is a lignitious 

 lava ; they occur in every position, horizontal, vertical, and at every 

 possible angle with each of these : their outer edges are black, and bear 

 a very high polish, produced by the action of the water. The fracture 

 presents an appearance which would justify the conjecture of this 

 substance having passed into the present position in a state of fusion, 

 as it encloses a substance within itself, having a vitrified appearance. 



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