1851.] Notes upon a tour through the Rdjmahal Hills. 601 



shale, much disturbed by the intruding basalt. At Moosuria, half a 

 mile north of the bungalow, coal crops out of the left bank of the 

 Brahminey in several spots, as well as on the opposite or right bank. 



The rocks in the river are sandstone, three feet thick overlying clay 

 and shale. The former rock has been extensively quarried, but in a 

 most expensive and curious manner ; deep tank-like excavations have 

 been made in the solid rock, instead of going to the exposed edge of 

 the rock to procure slabs and blocks for millstones, which in former 

 days were taken down the river to Bellia Narainpoor, a fine village 

 belonging to Moorshedabad, and situate on the right bank, eight miles 

 from the quarry. 



In the evening marched along the banks of the Brahminey to Bellia 

 Narainpoor. At Singhpoor, or at the sixth mile, the river dashes over 

 a bed of basaltic columns of great extent, causing a fall in the stream 

 of about eight or ten feet. To the west where the rock first appears, 

 it is a waved floor of basalt having all the appearance of having but 

 lately been poured out in a liquid state over the bed of the river ; a 

 little further east it becomes columnar ; the columns being vertical or at 

 right angles to the cooling surface ; each column measuring four feet 

 in circumference ; further east the rock again becomes a solid mass, 

 embedded in which are numerous large and small nests of elegant 

 quartz crystals, and agate balls ; the former of great beauty. Masses 

 of pink felspar are also embedded in the basalt. The whole bed which 

 crosses the river at right angles is about a quarter of a mile broad and 

 is entirely free from sand. In one part of the columnar group the 

 protruding heads of the columns have been by the united action of 

 the atmosphere and running water worn into globes, all the angles of 

 the polygons having disappeared, spaces have been left between the 

 columns, and thus the ground is covered by round balls the size of 

 bee-hives giving a curious appearance to the whole group. 



14th February, 1851. — A few miles south of Bellia Narainpoor, 

 the basalt ceases and is replaced by an extensive bed of nodular iron- 

 stone which extends for thirty miles north and south, and about fifteen 

 miles east and west ; this bed of iron ore gives occupation to many 

 hundred forges the produce of which is exported to Moorshedabad, 

 all the neighbouring towns, and to Calcutta. 



This extensive iron bed overlies granite and gneiss, both of which 



4 H 



