152 HOLLAND: GEOLOGY OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF SALEM. 



The fracture is sharp and irregular. This rock takes on a very 

 beautiful polish which would make it suitable for the manufacture 

 of magnificent tables, columns and vases. The exploitation of the 

 quarry would afford valuable material, if there were lapidaries locally 

 available for polishing the large pieces of rock (VI, 333 ; IX, 248). 



Two or three lieues (5 or 6 miles) further on one begins to meet 

 with masses of rock of which several are rolled and others embed- 

 ded in the soil ; they appear to be a kind of syenite, and are com- 

 posed of amphibole, quartz, felspar and mica in different proportions, 

 which determine their variations of colour and texture. The most 

 beautiful varieties were obtained at 20 lieues (50 miles) west of 

 Pondicherry, on the banks of the " Kongrepaleon ". 7 Several frag- 

 ments of corundum were found in the bed of this river (VI, 333, 

 334 ; IX, 248). 



In several places in the neighbourhood of the mountains, stones 

 and calcareous concretions 8 were noticed, and appeared to have 

 been brought from the high grounds by the streams (VI, 336). 



Thence he passed on to " Atour " (VI, 336; IX, 249), a fine 

 village 35 lieues (87 miles) west of Pondicherry, situated on 

 the banks of a river between two mountains. The neighbouring 

 mountains are rich in iron, which is smelted by the natives and 

 brought to " Atour" (Ahtur) in the form of blooms weighing 

 several pounds, where it is forged by means of charcoal. The 

 quality of the iron is said to be rather inferior (VI, 336, 337).° 



7 The "Kongrepaleon" river has not been identified ; but the Ahtur road 

 crosses two tributaries of the Vellaur at about this distance from Pondicherry 

 (n°38';79° 10'). The occurrence of corundum at this point is unknown to 

 us. Amongst the Leschenault collection in Paris, there are specimens of mica 

 and hornblende-granite with pink felspar, labelled " du Congrepaleum, 

 Coromandel." 



8 Probably ordinary calcareous kankar which is irregularly distributed over 

 South India. 



9 Ahlur is the head-quarters of a taluk. The great mass of the Kalroyen 

 "malais lies to the north, and the Paithur fPythoor) malais to the south of the 



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