i. Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [May, 1844. 



preserved some blank copies of this valuable little Map for the use of the Geological 

 Department of the Museum, and I hope by distributing some to our zealous friends to 

 obtain from them some notes and fillings up, to aid our knowledge of that interesting 

 part of India. 



From Mr. J.N. Martin, Executive Officer, Lower Assam, we have received through 

 Colonel Garstin, Superintending Engineer, Lower Provinces, 

 WUS GeSogy. Economic two chests containing specimens of ancient earthen tiles, of 

 rocks and soils, and of wood from that country. 



Mr. Martin's Letter is as follows : — 



No. 320. 



From Mr. J.N. Martin, Executive Officer, Lower Assam, to Colonel E. Gahstin, 

 Superintending Engineer, Lower Provinces. 



Sir, — With reference to your Circular No. 12 of the 4th August 1842, forwarding 

 a printed letter and statement from the Curator Museum of Economic Geology, I have 

 the honor to annex a list of specimens collected by me in this division, which I shall 

 be obliged by your allowing me to put on board one of your boats for transmission to 

 the presidency. 



2. Specimen No. 1 was dug out of some old ruins which were being levelled at Gow- 

 hatti, in which No. 4, 5 and 6 were also found, and probably formed some part of a 

 Temple. These fragments will suffice to shew the state of the arts in Assam in former 

 days. I regret that these specimens are not more perfect ; they are the only ones of 

 the kind I have met with. 



3. Specimens No. 7, 8, and 9 are from stones lying about Gowhatti, and which seem 

 to have formed extensive buildings, (Temples,) which have long since disappeared, 

 the remains of which are scattered over the station, and are constantly being dug up. 

 Some of the stones are fine specimens of workmanship. The rock from which the stone 

 seems to have been quarried is found at the base of the Hills about Gowhatti, laid bare 

 by the Burrampootur and in rocks in the river. 



4. Specimens No. 10 and 11 are from the ruins of an old brick Temple at Tezpoor. 

 12 and 13 are specimens of granite from the same place from stones wrought and un- 

 wrought, an immense number of which have been collected for the purpose of some ex- 

 tensive buildings, (probably Temples,) which from the appearance of the stones seem 

 never to have been used in any building. The stones appear to have been quarried 

 from rocks in the Burrampootur, and from the base of the Hills in the vicinity. 



5. Specimen No. 16 is soil from Rannee Godown, said to be adapted for the cul- 

 tivation of tea, and extends over a large tract of country. On my late visit to Gola Ghaut, 

 175 miles above Gowhatti and 200 above Rannee Godown, 1 was struck with the simi- 

 larity of the soil on which an individual has commenced the cultivation of the tea 

 plant. No. 17 is a specimen. 



6. Specimen No. 18 is a brick dug out of the ruins of an old Temple, probably 

 Mahomedan, at Gowalparah, and bears a Persian inscription. From its appearance it 

 seems to have formed a step or floor, and is evidently of recent date compared with the 

 ruins found in Assam. 





