Il8 GR1ESBACH : GEOLOGY OF THE CENTRAL HIMALAYAS, 



composing the same. The lowest member of the group is only 

 partially represented in the Niti sections, and the uppermost beds 

 have a distinctly local character. 



The triassic rocks are found along the range which runs from the 



Marchauk pass to the Niti peaks. The range 

 presents a steep scarp towards the south-west, 

 along which the entire thickness of the various divisions is exposed. 

 Profile, pi. 6, gives a view of this range, and shows the approximate 

 thicknesses of the various divisions composing it. The individual 

 beds seem to remain very constant in lithological character in all the 

 sections which I examined. Indeed, the beds are nearly everywhere 

 entirely exposed to view, and may be seen and recognized a long 

 distance off. 



One of the routes from Hundes leads over the Ma Rhi La (pass) 

 From the Silakank to through t*he pastures of BaVa Hoti to the Dhauli 

 Pethathah. Ganga valley by the Silakank pass. It is a very 



rough and seldom used path. After crossing the Silakank the track 

 descends the Silakank stream to its junction with the Dhauli Ganga, 

 w T hich track is only passable to lightly laden sheep and goats. The 

 Silakank pass itself is formed of typical rhaetic and trias beds. 

 The south and south-east flank of the pass are composed of the 

 uppermost rhaetic, a dark-blue limestone, weathering a bright sienna 

 colour, dip about 30 south. They contain fossils typical of the 

 upper rhaetic horizon, and are intercalated between beds of calcare- 

 ous sandstone and shales, all containing Kcessen fossils. It is the 

 region immediately adjoining the great fault which runs from the 

 Niti heights along the frontier, and the cleavage, which the upper 

 rhaetic beds show near the fault in a most pronounced degree, must 

 be ascribed to the enormous lateral pressure which they underwent, 

 when being pushed out of their normal position by faulting. In 

 places the original bedding has been almost entirely obliterated. 

 In addition to this the section is obstructed by enormous masses 

 of debris, which issue in wide fans from every ravine. Near the top 

 of the pass itself, I met pink and reddish limestone beds with some 

 ( 1 '8 ) 



