cxxvi Report of the Mineralogical Survey [No. 126* 



which appears to pass into a greywacke. About half way between 

 this spot and Dhol, (the regular stage,) a number of rocky masses 

 occur, very striking both by their magnitude and apparent disorder. 

 They are all fragments of gneiss strata, one (the longest) has something 

 of a pyramidal shape, very similar to a rock noticed by Dr. Macculloch 

 (also of gneiss,) in Skye. It here performs the part which he sup- 

 poses the Skye rock would, were it transported to the plains of 

 Hindoostan. It is worshipped under the title of Nag Deo. It is at 

 least fifty feet in height, and twenty to thirty broad at the base, and has 

 no fissure or line of strata, or separation throughout. Gneiss in situ is 

 also found in this neighbourhood, mica slate again succeeds, of an ordi- 

 nary type, and continues nearly to Dhol. 



270. At Dhol, it passes into a singular rock requiring a little detail. 

 This rock is of an earthy composition, and quite soft, though preserving 

 the appearance of strata, and of laminar or schistose structure. It 

 contains in its transitions into ordinary mica slate more or less of 

 this mineral ; but in its best defined types very little, if any, is to be 

 seen. It is of various colours : black, red, yellow, grey, white, always 

 bright and well defined. The black is the most abundant, the white 

 the least so. It is very absorbent of water. In a piece weighing 205 

 grains, it amounted to 28 grains ; on another of 191, 30 grains ; allowing 

 for the absorption the specific gravity was found to be 1.95 and 

 2.01. The black variety generally dull, but occasionally with some 

 lustre, is infusible, burning under the blowpipe to a white ash. Some 

 portions, however, do fuse into a black slag, attractable by the magnet. 

 It is slowly soluble in borax, occasioning effervescence, but imparts 

 no colour to the bead. The red variety under the blowpipe turns 

 black, and with a continuation of heat, part fuses into a magnetic slag, 

 part burns to a white ash; muriatic acid, whether concentrated or 

 diluted and even with the assistance of a boiling heat, has no effect. Of 

 the existence of a very large proportion of carbon in this rock, the fore- 

 going particulars leave no doubt. The inference that it contains beds 

 or veins of graphite is a natural consequence, rendered almost certain 

 by the occurrence of the mineral in a similar rock to be noticed after- 

 wards. The great variety of rather decided colours in it gives this 

 district a peculiar appearance. So bright are the reds and yellows, that 

 I think very excellent colours might be manufactured from them. The 



