362 Report on ilie Geological Structure of the Salt Range. [No. 4*. 



Salt Eange, terraces composed of a succession of nearly horizontal 

 layers of small boulders, gravel, sand and mud, the debris chiefly of 

 Salt Range rocks. The boulders and gravel in these are very gene- 

 rally cemented by calcareous matter into the consistence of rock, 

 and bands of kunkur, an impure concretionary limestone, are in 

 some places abundant. This has doubtless been deposited by calca- 

 reous springs or by rain water which by passing through vegetation, 

 has acquired carbonic acid and, through its solvent agency, carbonate 

 of lime. In a similar way extensive deposits of travertine and calca- 

 reous tufa have been formed over the surface of the nummulite 

 limestone and miocene strata. 



In the neighbourhood of the Salt Eange the alluvial beds have a 

 slight dip towards the north, but gradually acquire horizontality, and 

 increase in thickness and fineness of material, as we follow them into 

 the plain or rather ravine country north of the range, where sections 

 of them fifty to sixty feet in depth are exposed in the numerous 

 nullahs and water courses which intersect the district, and in the 

 beds of which they are seen reposing on the tilted up ends of the 

 miocene strata. 



Along the southern or scarped side of the range deposits of a 

 similar character occur, but for a distance varying from one to two 

 miles from its base, the materials are coarse and consist entirely of 

 boulders of rock and gravel brought down by the numerous streams, 

 which during rain acquire transporting powers which must be seen 

 to be believed ; we have on several occasions seen boulders three and 

 four feet in diameter rolled along with the noise of thunder, by the 

 force of streams suddenly swollen. As we recede from the range, 

 the boulders gradually diminish, and are succeeded by deposits of 

 gravel, sand and mud, the layers of which in the plain assume a 

 nearly horizontal position. 



Travertine or calcareous tufa is extensively burnt and yields a 

 lime of excellent quality. It frequently, however, contains a quan- 

 tity of mud, which is objectionable. At Jhelum the greater part of 

 the lime used is obtained from travertine, and at Eawul Pindee, 

 around which enormous deposits of it occur, we believe it is exclu- 

 sively burnt. From its porous character it requires less fuel for its 

 perfect calcination than the ordinary limestones of the district, a 



