2 2S VRKDENBURG: SKETCH OF BALGCHISTAN DESERT. 



extends a great talus called " Phoghdan," or "the place of Phogh," 

 from the name of a bush called by that name. The rocks dip at 

 such high angles and the bedding is so obscure amongst these black 

 volcanic beds that it is difficult to tell their true structure. Laghar 

 Koh seems to be a sharp anticline. In the range south-east of Phogh- 

 dan the dip appears to be generally south-east. In addition to the 

 bedded volcanic rocks there are numerous narrow basaltic dykes of 

 much later date. Similar dykes will be mentioned in many other 

 localities cutting through all manner of sedimentary and igneous 

 rocks. 



Resting upon these tuffs are flaggy limestones interbedded with 

 shales, or rather slates, and which present brilliant green and red 

 colourations. These brilliant colours are probably due to an admix* 

 ture of volcanic material, and several instances have already been 

 noticed in which the lower eocene beds are of a tuffaceous nature. 

 Such is, perhaps, the age of these strata, but in the present case they 

 are altered to such an extent as to be transformed into finely lamel- 

 lar slates. Sections of corals may be discerned in some of the thicker 

 bedded limestones, but no fossils were met with in a sufficient state 

 of preservation to be identified. The Nimik road from Phoghdan 

 follows a rather steep path that rises amongst these rocks. They 

 are shown on the section between the points marked c. 



The plain of Kharan stands at a much higher level than the desert 

 to the north-west of the ranges ; hence, the road after rising to the 

 top of this steep path (where there is a ziarat dedicated to the Pir 

 Sultan) does not descend again, but simply winds about at a nearly 

 constant level amongst the ridges that constitute the range and 

 reaches the Kharan plain at "Shir Ajab ziarat, ,, near the place 

 marked "Arrok" on sheet 22 S. W. Judging by analogy with 

 the previously described sections, all these rocks (d) clay-slates 

 and limestones must be tertiary, but they are cleaved and 

 metamorphosed to such an extent that all trace of any fossils 

 has disappeared. The shales are entirely transformed into soft 

 Micaceous, silky slates; some indistinct spots occasionally seen in 



( 50 ) 



