ARCHAEAN AND PLUTONIC ROCKS. 71 



thought sufficient. Their greatest length from south-east to north- 

 west is nine miles; their greatest width about two. The highest point 

 at the south-eastern end is about 500 feet above the plain, and they 

 most certainly deserve to be described as bold and picturesque. 

 Owing to the presence of much horizontal and vertical jointing, many 

 parts of the hills present castellated features which are always 

 pleasing. 



The grey generally porphyritic granite of the Kotekal itself (the 



" Castle hill ") overhanging the village of that 

 Kotekal hill. . , , , , , r ,. . . 



name is very much banded and toliated, even 



where porphyritic, when the crystals of orthoclase are disposed in lines. 

 The banding is mostly vertical or has an easterly dip at a very high 

 angle. The castellated structure shows very strongly at the south end 

 of Kotekal hill itself, and it wanted but a few walls to make it a strong 

 fort in olden times. 



About a mile west of the Kotekal hill and close to the high road 

 to Adoni rises a small hill, Arkal (Argul) by 

 name, made of very porphyritic purplish pink 

 granite with large well-marked rosy crystals of orthoclase on the 

 western side of the hill. On the east side the porphyritic struc- 

 ture is less marked and some foliation is to be seen. The rock has 

 weathered into very large blocks, which form many rock shelters that 

 are still used by the people of the little village built up the southern 

 side of the hill. Several were in use as stables and one as a black- 

 smith's shop. They had previously been in use by pre-historic people, 

 An old pre-historic °^ wnose residence various traces remain among 

 site - the rocks around the village. At the time of 



my visit a very large and efficient chamber formed by a huge flattish 

 mass, resting its ends on some smaller rounded blocks, was largely 

 resorted to by travellers along the road, as a large toddy shop was kept 

 there and was doing a brisk trade. As I watched the crowd from the 

 top of the hill while resting for a little, I could not help speculating 

 whether this remarkable rock chamber had been put to similar uses, by 

 the neolithic folk, as from its proximity to the pass through the hills 



( 71 ) 



