Notes on Geology and Mineralogy of Affghanistan. 593 



Beest was built, seems proved by the fact of its ruins still 

 remaining in tact upon the left bank of the Helmund to the 

 present day. 



The mountains up to and beyond the Helmund are com- 

 posed of rocks similar to those already described, the whole 

 district being, strictly speaking, volcanic ranges of basalt, 

 greenstone, serpentine, and occasional granitic peaks, sup- 

 porting or running parallel with limestones both primary and 

 secondary. This continues onwards to the neighbourhood 

 of Warsher, where a greywacke slate exists, but beyond that 

 I have no precise information, except that basaltic masses 

 studded with cubic iron pyrites here and there occur, as 

 likewise secondary limestones containing marine shells. 



Having thus imperfectly noted the principal rocks which 

 occur along the line of country over which I had occasion 

 to travel, I shall now hazard a few remarks on the general 

 features of the country and the minerals it produces, craving 

 the indulgence of the geological reader, and pleading as an 

 excuse for the imperfections and scantiness of the informa- 

 tion afforded, the difficulties and danger of collecting scien- 

 tific data during a hurried march, at a time when every 

 man's hand was against his neighbour, and when we were 

 considered in the light of infidel invaders, to sacrifice whom 

 was a sure passport to the joys of Paradise. 



From the specimens and information obtained from dif- 

 ferent parts of the country through the kindness of various 

 friends, and likewise from my own observations, it would 

 appear that the mountains, in the southern portions of Aff- 

 ghanistan, from below Ghuznee, and stretching across from 

 Dadur in the east, to about Warsher on the west, are com- 

 posed of the usual series of primary and secondary rocks, 

 from granite upwards to the chalk formation, which is evi- 

 dently represented by the nummulitic limestone and other 

 chalky beds containing flints and marine shells. In some 

 localities these secondary rocks are conformably overlaid 



