208 Capt. Huttoris Geological Report [No. 111. 



the abrupt nature of the primary rocks that are hence met with, they 

 cease to exist, except far below where a wide and shelving plain lies along 

 the river's side, and which is entirely composed of them. From the point 

 where the road leaves them behind, for a distance of six miles, the strata 

 are again of mica, slate, and gneiss, varied with the same carious veins of 

 granite and quartz as those of Leeo and Chungo. At this point the moun- 

 tains are separated by a rapid rivef called the Paratee, which runs down 

 from Chinese Tartary and joins the Spiti near Skialkur. Here the primary 

 series may be said to disappear, and the Spiti road crossing the Paratee by 

 a natural bridge of stone, which is formed of several large masses of gneiss 

 fallen from above, and wedged firmly together over the stream, brings the 

 traveller at once upon the secondary class. The lowest strata are there- 

 fore just perceptible where the waters cut their way through, and we thus 

 catch a glimpse of the gneiss of the opposite bank, above which occurs a 

 talcose schist, white quartz rock, and clay slate, dipping to the S. W. Above 

 these are alluvial deposits similar to those of Chungo, and extending for a 

 mile or two inland from the river, forming a flattened plain, on which stands 

 " Kewrick," the first village of Chinese Tartary. Here again a portion of 

 the deposit has been swept away by a descending stream, exactly as at 

 Chungo. It is worthy of remark, that all these alluvial deposits are the 

 deepest and most extensive when the surrounding hills have the most 

 gradual slope, and where they retire so as to form recesses ; while on the 

 contrary, as might be expected, where the dip of the strata is rapid or 

 acute, scarcely any trace is left of the former existence of a lake, because 

 the deposit has been swept away by the outrush of the escaping waters. 



These accumulations are likewise the most extensive at the lower end of 

 the Spiti valley, where alone the gypsum is to be found. To this fact I would 

 beg to call special attention, as it will be hereafter alluded to, and prove of 

 some importance in the explanation of these diluvial and alluvial deposits. 



From Kewrick the road runs over hills, which are entirely of the secon- 

 dary class, being frequent alternations of the same rocks, as greywacke and 

 claystones, limestones, and sandstones, and in one or two instances a trap 

 of greenstone is also seen, both stratified and amorphous. 



From Kewrick to the village of Larree, which is the first inhabited place 

 in Spiti, we travel first for four miles over the edges of strata of clay slates' and 

 accumulations of debris. From the decomposing state of these strata, 

 caused the effects of weather and a portion of alum, which causes them to ! 

 scale off in soft flakes, the whole of the hills on either side of the Spiti river j 

 have a charred and blackened aspect, which combined with their arid and 

 barren nature, gives a sad and melancholy appearance to the country, by 

 no means cheering to the weary traveller. 



