1846.] from Devamunni and Nundi Cunnama passes. 395 



plain ; and also dykes of basaltic greenstone, which were numerous south 

 of Peelair. 



About ten miles from Peelair, and six from Damulcherry, a short and 

 easy pass in the granitic ridge to the left, leads the traveller almost 

 insensibly over the great line of elevation, by the village of Damul-* 

 cherry, into the plains of the Carnatic. About seven miles north of 

 Damulcherry, runs the modern boundary of Cuddapah and Arcot, pre- 

 cisely on the ancient position of the Andhra and Dravida regions. At 

 Damulcherry both Tamul and Telinghi are spoken, and the latter lan- 

 guage I found much in vogue at Chittoor. 



At Peelair, gneiss and hornblende schists appear more frequently 

 near the bases of the granite hills ; and, at Damulcherry, the same 

 rocks, with a leptinitic gneiss veined with eurite and small grained gra- 

 nite, are the prevailing rocks. 



From Damulcherry to Chittoor the floor of the break in the Ghauts, 

 is an undulating bed of gneiss and hornblende schists. The more 

 abrupt and peaked elevations on the north and south of the break, ap- 

 pear to be of granite. 



About ten or twelve miles WNW. from Chittoor the descent to 

 the last is palpable, but easy and gradual, very unlike the abrupt and 

 high pass of Naikanairy farther south. The country is open and free from 

 jungle, which is confined to the ravines and sides of the lofty hills of 

 gneiss. The latter in their bold, rounded contour, and partially wooded 

 sides, reminded me of the Pyrenees near Rosas. 



In the distance to the north of the foot of this descent, is seen the 

 high columnar rock of Pillyconda, (Tiger's hill) a striking object on 

 the horizon. 



Chittoor. — Chittoor stands in the plain at the northern and western 

 base of a granitic range which runs south-westerly towards the Javadic 

 ranges, which skirt the eastern flank of the Amboor valley. The gra- 

 nite composing the rocks, close to the travellers' bungalow, contains 

 large crystals of foliated hornblende, sometimes curiously interlaminated 

 with olive-green mica. The crystals of felspar are usually white, with 

 red and faint green crystals interspersed. The felspar is occasionally 

 translucent, and assimilates albite in external characters. 



The exterior of many of the large masses of granite, which cover the 

 hill, abounds with little cavities, from the size of a pea to that of a wal- 



3 G 



