GEOLOGY OF THE AREA. 35 



similar collections of shells are found, sometimes at a considerable 

 height above the sea. 



A remarkable deposit of large well-rounded quartz pebbles is 

 found in the section exposed in the bank of the Shaulay-ar, 4 miles 

 north of Nilambur. The pebbles reach a diameter of 6 or 8 inches, 

 and seem to point to the former torrential character of this part of 

 the river. They are found at the top of the bank 38 feet above 

 the present bed of the river. 



Recent Geological History of S. Malabar, 



Before the laterite period Malabar stood 500 feet lower than at 

 present and the sea washed the foot of the Ghats. South Malabar 

 was then a bay bounded on the north by the Camel's Kump and its 

 outlying ranges, and on the south by the Cochin Hills. In the middle 

 of the bay rose a chain of islands which are now Wallaiur or Wolaotur 

 Hill, Kondotti Hill, Urotmala, Pandalur, Pranakod, and Anangamala. 

 Pandalur and Pranakod Hills were probably united. 



The land gradually rose, and at first a ledge of low-lying ground 

 appeared round the central islands — Urotmala, Pandalur, and Pranakod. 

 This is now the highest part of the plateau. 



The land rose higher and higher and the ledge became broader, 

 till at last it joined the Ghats near the peak of Kanjacombu, thus di- 

 viding the bay into two. This line of division is now the watershed 

 between the Pandikdd and Ponnani Rivers. 



At length the present level was reached, and instead of two bays 

 were two valleys running from east to west, one north of the highest 

 part of the plateau and the other south. In these two valleys flow 

 the Beypore and Ponnini Rivers. From the central highest land 

 another river took its rise which is now the one flowing from Angddi- 

 puram to Malapuram and thence to Kadalhundi. At first all the 

 streams east of the chain of gneiss hills had to run north or south 

 to the Beypore or to the Ponna*ni River, because they could not cut 

 through the high land directly to the west. But at length a narrow 

 gorge was cut between the hills of Urotmala and Pandalur through 

 D 2 ( 235 ) 



