1840.] Memoir of Sylhet, Kachar, ^ adjacent Districts, 813 



absence of vegetation, and wherever the strata are inclined to the 

 horizon, symptoms of fertility begin to shew themselves. 



The absence of any well marked appearance of the unstratified rocks 

 is remarkable in the Kasia hills, for I am aware only of one instance in 

 which they are said to shew serpentine ; having, it is said, been seen near 

 Nungklao, a locality which however I had no opportunity of examining. 

 It is true, granite is found, but except at the Okillon hill, always in boul- 

 ders on the surface, nor has it ever been seen in peaks or amorphous 

 masses, to the protrusion of which, the dip of the secondary strata 

 is usually referred. Except in the single instance of the limestone 

 which occurs near Musmai, I think it may be said that there is no 

 appearance of a disturbance in the sandstone bed by which the country 

 between that place and the Bogapani is filled, and of which the thick- 

 ness is unknown ; now this part (and others similar to it) is remarkably 

 sterile ; but wherever the level of the strata has been disturbed, whe- 

 ther by internal igneous action, or by any force of a more limited 

 range, a disintegration of the rocks, and consequent accumulation of 

 soil at the foot of the slope formed, has taken place> and vegetation to 

 a greater or less extent ensued. Thus the slopes formed at the out- 

 crop of the sandstone with the limestone near Musmai are all well 

 covered with wood, which disappears as the slope subsides into the 

 ordinary level of the table land. And in general throughout the 

 ascent from the plains to Chirra, after the limits of the lower bed of 

 limestone have been passed, it may be observed that vegetation is 

 dense only on the slopes, and that wherever ledges or steps occur, 

 they are comparatively barren. 



The total rise between the foot of the mountains and Chirra, seems 

 to be about one in ten feet, but subject to great irregularity, while 

 between Chirra and the south bank of the Bogapani, it amounts only to 

 one in forty, with comparatively little variation. 



All the vallies on this side terminate in precipitous heads, exhibiting 

 the horizontal position of the sandstone. 



To the northward of the Bogapani, the aspect of the country changes, 

 and though the altitude is greater, the vegetation is also more consider- 

 able, and continually increases until between Myrung and Nungklao 

 it becomes abundant, though it does not yet exhibit that excess which 

 prevails further to the north and west. A feature will be here found to 



