1845.] Report of an Expedition into the Mishmee Hills. 495 



were able to make their escape fled to the hills, and have in the course 

 of time become converted into the present tribes of Abors*. Near these 

 forts a great number of wild Methunsf are to be met with, and the 

 whole of the country, from the mouth of Koondil to the base of the hills, 

 presents many indications of former cultivation. On this expedition 

 I was absent nine days. 



Dibrooghur, 6th February, 1845. J 



Note on a curious Sandstone formation at Sasseram, zillah Shahabad. 

 By Lieut. W. S. Sherwill, 66th, B. N. I. With a Plate. 



At the foot of a hill at Sasseram, zillah Shahabad, which forms the 

 termination of a spur thrown off from the Northern face of the lofty 

 range of the Kymoor Sandstone Mountains, I observed a curious apparent 

 horizontal columnar formation in the sandstone, as shown in Plate 1 . 

 The disposition of the sandstone at this spot has all the appearance 

 of a quantity of horizontal columns, of several feet diameter each, and 

 overlying each other to the height of twelve feet, the lower ones much 

 flattened by pressure. At this spot also they have suddenly ceased, ter- 

 minating in a steep bank, from which they protrude in great numbers, 

 resembling a series of rudely-pointed horizontal obelisks, weather-stained 

 to a very dark hue, with a strong cobalt tinge. Their exposed si- 

 tuation at this spot has tempted the Sasseram stone-cutters, who, with 

 wedges, have cloven blocks from off these columns for building purposes ; 

 but by so doing, have made it evident that they are not solid columns, but 

 a series of spheres ; each sphere composed of a great variety of differently 

 colored and exceedingly hard concentric strata of siliceous sandstones, 

 concentric upon a nucleus, but the strata exceedingly difficult to exfo- 

 liate, the rock being purely siliceous, throwing back the hammer with 

 great force. These spheres are packed closely together, and so inti- 



* If the Pals were Buddhists, this tradition may allude to their overthrow by the 

 Rajas of the Brahminical faith; but all authentic records of those times appear to 

 be lost, at least in this province. — F. J. 



f Bos. frontalis, or an allied species. — Cur. As. Soc 



X I enclose a copy of this letter as a part of Lieut. Rowlatt's Journal.— F. J. 



3 Y 



