1842.] of the Himmalay a Mountains. cxxxi 



this line a rock oscillating between granite and gneiss continues the 

 whole way. It appears to divide into cuboidal masses, or rather into 

 parallelopipeds, one of the surfaces of which, apparently coinciding 

 with the planes of the strata, gave a dip of N. 22° W., inclination 36°. 

 Near the Dawk chowkee, it is observed in immense rounded masses 

 lying in the bed of the river, and I think having more the character of 

 granite than the masses in situ. In this the felspar, which is of 

 a greenish grey colour, and its lustre being highly translucent, is 

 very remarkable for the size of its concretions, and their imbedded 

 appearance giving the rock very much the appearance of a porphyritic 

 granite. This rock has an analogue at Almorah, and on the summit of 

 the Choor Peak. 



279. The gneiss continues to put on the appearance of being divided 

 by several sets of seams into more or less regular masses, and its struc- 

 ture becomes less decidedly schistose. An observation of the dip gave 

 N. 10° W., with an inclination of 72°. It contains the same felspar that 

 I have just noticed as occurring in the rolled masses of granite, a little 

 beyond the 243rd kos stone* the dip was observed S. 20° W., inclina- 

 tion 50° to 60°. Latterly near Thanna, it gives way to a micaceous schist, 

 remarkable for the great size and imperfect shape of the garnets it 

 contains. The round blocks of granite of great size appear still in the 

 bed of the river. From Thanna to Muse, and again in ascending the 

 high range over which the road to Ran leads, no rock but micaceous 

 schist is seen in situ. Above Masoo, it occasionally contains kyanite, but 

 not in any quantity, or of any size or beauty of appearance. On the 

 summit of the Pass, the same rock is found dipping N. E. at a consider- 

 able angle. Half way down the descent, blocks of gneiss in great num- 

 ber and of great size are seen, many of them occupying such situations 

 as will not admit of our supposing for an instant, that they have ever 

 been in motion, or occupied other than their present sites. At the 

 village of Ran, micaceous schist is the rock dipping N. E. 



280. From Ran, the route descends to the bed of the same nullah in 

 which micaceous schist is still observable, and thence ascending to Ku- 

 nyoorbut near the latter place, we come again upon a district of gneiss 



* The Goorkhalee Government had erected these stones at distances of a koss 

 along the line of road from Katmoondo to the Sutlej. 



