﻿6 
  BOSE 
  : 
  GEOLOGY* 
  OF 
  THE 
  LOWER 
  NARBADA 
  VALLEY. 
  

  

  Its 
  average 
  height 
  above 
  the 
  sea-level 
  in 
  the 
  area 
  under 
  consideration 
  

   may 
  be 
  taken 
  at 
  2,100 
  feet, 
  and 
  as 
  the 
  height 
  of 
  the 
  valley 
  above 
  the 
  

   same 
  level 
  is 
  some 
  850 
  feet, 
  a 
  thickness 
  of 
  some 
  1,250 
  feet 
  of 
  basaltic 
  

   rocks 
  have 
  been 
  denuded 
  away 
  since 
  the 
  Deccan 
  Trap 
  times. 
  

  

  77. 
  — 
  Bag 
  — 
  Mahemr 
  or 
  Bag 
  Area 
  (Map 
  No. 
  2). 
  

  

  West 
  of 
  Barwai 
  (map 
  No. 
  1) 
  commences 
  a 
  tract 
  of 
  Deccan 
  trap 
  

   country, 
  covered 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  by 
  alluvium, 
  with 
  a 
  mean 
  height 
  of 
  550 
  

   feet 
  above 
  the 
  sea-level. 
  It 
  is 
  continued 
  into 
  the 
  present 
  region, 
  and 
  

   extends 
  nearly 
  to 
  its 
  western 
  extremity. 
  The 
  plain 
  is 
  widest 
  between 
  

   Dharampuri 
  and 
  Chikalda, 
  measuring 
  20 
  miles 
  across. 
  The 
  soil, 
  known 
  

   as 
  black 
  soil, 
  being 
  very 
  fertile, 
  is 
  well 
  adapted 
  for 
  the 
  growth 
  of 
  

   poppy, 
  wheat, 
  and 
  other 
  cereals. 
  The 
  country, 
  in 
  consequence, 
  especi- 
  

   ally 
  close 
  to 
  the 
  Narbada, 
  is 
  well 
  populated, 
  the 
  largest 
  and 
  richest 
  

   towns 
  in 
  the 
  whole 
  valley 
  surveyed 
  being 
  situated 
  on 
  that 
  river. 
  Nearer 
  

   the 
  Vindhyan 
  range 
  the 
  country 
  is 
  hilly, 
  and 
  poorer 
  both 
  as 
  regards 
  

   fertility 
  and 
  population. 
  

  

  Just 
  below 
  Mahesar, 
  some 
  falls 
  interfere 
  seriously 
  with 
  the 
  navigation 
  

   of 
  the 
  Narbada. 
  But 
  between 
  these 
  falls 
  (known 
  as 
  the 
  Sahasradhara) 
  

   and 
  the 
  Hurin 
  Phal 
  (13 
  miles 
  west 
  of 
  Chikalda), 
  the 
  river 
  is 
  navigable 
  

   without 
  much 
  difficulty. 
  

  

  The 
  Vindhyan 
  range 
  follows 
  a 
  north-westerly 
  direction, 
  corresponding 
  

   with 
  the 
  change 
  in 
  the 
  strike 
  of 
  the 
  metamorphics 
  in 
  the 
  area. 
  It 
  is 
  

   elevated 
  some 
  1,400 
  feet 
  above 
  the 
  valley 
  in 
  the 
  eastern 
  portion 
  of 
  the 
  

   c 
  ountry, 
  as 
  at 
  Jam 
  Ghat. 
  But 
  the 
  elevation 
  is 
  gradually 
  reduced, 
  and 
  

   the 
  range 
  loses 
  in 
  definition 
  westward, 
  north 
  of 
  Bag 
  and 
  Jobat.] 
  

  

  III. 
  — 
  Bdjpur 
  — 
  Chota-JJdepur 
  Area 
  (Map 
  No. 
  3J. 
  

   The 
  Deccan 
  trap 
  country, 
  which 
  forms 
  the 
  southern 
  portion 
  of 
  this 
  

   area, 
  is 
  extremely 
  hilly, 
  the 
  hills 
  rising 
  from 
  1,400 
  to 
  1,600 
  feet 
  above 
  

   th* 
  sea-level 
  ; 
  and 
  the 
  Narbada 
  flows 
  all 
  the 
  way'through 
  a 
  deep 
  gorge 
  

   of 
  basaltic 
  rocks. 
  South 
  of 
  the 
  river 
  the 
  hills 
  which 
  have 
  remarkably 
  

   sharp 
  outlines 
  are 
  spurs 
  of 
  the 
  Satpuras 
  ; 
  and 
  there 
  can 
  be 
  no 
  doubt 
  

   ( 
  6 
  ) 
  

  

  