1845.] across the Peninsula of Southern India. 515 



of the ridge a little farther to the N. W., is another excavation at the 

 base of the rocky crest of the range. 



The ore appears to have existed only in these thin incrustations and 

 seams, (for I could not find the slightest trace of any continuous lode 

 or vein,) and the project was shortly given up by Hyder. The imbed- 

 ding rock is a ferruginous slate clay, and the ferruginous quartz rock 

 of the crest. 



From the vicinity of these excavations rises the dome- shaped summit 

 before mentioned, as the loftiest peak of the ridge. Its summit is flat- 

 convex, and capped with laterite containing much iron. This tubular 

 mass is precipitous on its S. W. side, and contains two apparently na- 

 tural caves situate at the bottom of the precipices, of small dimensions. 



In one of these stood the shrine of the tutelary deity of the mountain ; 

 and recent offerings of flowers, oil, and cocoa had been made in this rude 

 rock temple. On the roofs and sides of these caverns are partial in- 

 crustations of common salt and alum, which appear to have been deposited 

 by water percolated through the porous mass above, and which contains 

 sulphuret of iron, by the decomposition of which the sulphuric acid has 

 been set free. 



This peak formed one of the stations of the Trigonometrical survey : 

 a pile of stones on its surface marks the stand probably of the flag. 

 The thermometer in the shade during the hottest part of the day 

 stood at 72° Farenheit only, (July.) 



Descending the ridge N. of this peak, a large dyke of trap is seen 

 crossing the mountain in a westerly direction. White potter's-earth, 

 kunker, and smoky quartz occur in the vicinity. At the base, a small 

 seam of whitish saccharine limestone (marble) is seen in the hornblende 

 rock. 



The singular ranges and valley of Sondur to the Westward of the 

 Copper mountain, have been described already, (Madras Journal for 

 Sept. 1838, p. 128). 



Ringing stones of Courtney. A little to the S. E. of the village of 

 Courtney, about ten miles W. N. W. from Bellary, to the left of the 

 road is a low, long, black ridge composed of blocks of basaltic green- 

 stone piled one upon another, — the outgoings, in fact, of a dyke which 

 penetrates and projects from the surrounding granitoidal gneiss rocks. 



