PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 47 



principal peaks, as entered on the map, are examined, it will be 

 seen that they all rise to about the same level. There is a gradual 

 drop from west to east and the heights in the transition area are 

 somewhat greater than those of the Vindhyan scarp opposite to 

 them. In other words, they might well be the remnants of a gently 

 undulating peneplain which has since been carved out by rivers to 

 a generally lower level. Seen from one of the higher peaks of the 

 transition area this impression is more strongly felt ; all the higher 

 peaks are seen to rise to about the same general skyline, about 

 level with that from which the view is taken, as is well shown in 

 the sketch on Plate III. 



From this it seems probable that there was at one time a 

 surface of low relief from which hills rose to heights of perhaps three 

 or four hundred feet above the stream-beds, but by gentle slopes 

 from broad open valleys. The general slope of this surface was 

 about north-eastwards from the high Gondwana plateau to the south, 

 and, as already suggested, the Gopat valley across the transition area 

 may still mark the general course of one of the rivers of this time. 



The great Kaimur scarp must have been marked out at this time 

 and not far from its present position, but would have a much less 

 elevation above the general surface than now. Whether any of the 

 drainage from the south passed through it northwards, or whether 

 there was, as now, a river flowing along the strike of the lower 

 Vindhyans, cannot be directly decided. In the long course of time 

 during which this area had been exposed to subaerial denudation it 

 is probable that the outcrop of the soft beds of the upper stages of 

 the lower Vindhyans had already determined the position of one of 

 the main drainage lines of the region ; but whether this was so or 

 not the lower Vindhyan outcrop must have been marked by a tract of 

 low ground lying between the higher ground formed by the harder 

 rocks of the transitions to the south, and the Vindhyans to the north. 



However this may be, the last great change, which led to the 

 elaboration of the present surface features was 



Renewal of surface relief. . 



one of elevation, which enabled the rivers to 



( 47 ) 



