

568 Notes on Geology and Mineralogy of Afghanistan. 



Dadur end, are composed of alternating strata of sandstone, 

 coarse sandstone, conglomerate, and beds of semi-indurated 

 or friable sandstone and clay, which yield like the outlying 

 hills below Dadur, to the action of the weather, and crumble 

 down into sandy clays, which are washed away to the plains 

 of Cutchi by the force of the stream. The matrix of the 

 conglomerate is also friable, and the imbedded pebbles of 

 sandstone, quartz, and various limestones are consequently let 

 loose and strewed in beds over the bottom of the defile. The 

 pebbles thus detached often contain marine shells and coral- 

 loids. 



The conglomerate is the prevailing rock up to Candye, 

 which was our first march ; from whence it extends down- 

 wards to Dadur, where it forms a great part of the high 

 undulating land around the town, and is cut into deep 

 ravines by the drainage from the hills. As we approached 

 Candye the defile became narrower, and the sandstone con- 

 glomerate which in some places rose high and appeared 

 resting against the sides of the mountains, suddenly gave 

 place to a compact and pale-coloured nummulitic limestone, 

 which continued onwards to Keirtah, where it was found to 

 contain a few scattered nummulites and a species of Clypeus. 

 This rock is in all respects identical with that which crosses 

 the Indus at Sukkur. At Keirtah, the defile opens out 

 and forms a wide stony plain enclosed on the left by strata 

 of shales and clay, and on the right by nummulite lime- 

 stones, the beds of which appear to be of a pale buff colour 

 below, surmounted by other beds of deeper or yellowish 

 brown shade. The strata on either side have the same dip 

 and apparently north-east. 



At Beebee Nanee, which is the third stage, the sides of 

 the defile again approach, and form a mere narrow passage 

 between rocks of nummulite limestone. From this place 

 onwards to Ab-i-goom, the Pass again widens, and the rocks 

 on either side are the same as those towards Keirtah, con- 





