18G6.] the Western Himalaya and Afghan Mountains. 171 



observe near Banda, a small Zyarut up the ravine above Ladoo, 

 some very fine beds of limestone of which the following is the 

 section. 



Proceeding from the bottom of the ravine up the side of the spur 

 we find. 



1. Slates, so much decayed and broken that it is impossible to see their 

 dip and strike. They are identical with those which we have seen inter- 

 bedded with volcanic ash and agglomerate in the Tukt-i-Suliman and tho 

 Zebanwan, and they are very extensively developed in the Wastarwan. They 

 are, as we have seen, more or less metamorphosed, often slightly amygdaloidal 

 and always devoid of organisms, very thick. 



2. Augitio ash, very amygdaloidal, the geodes being filled sometimes with 

 dark augite, sometimes with bluish-white opalescent quartz. It strikes N. W. 

 by W. and dips north-easterly. About 25 ft. 



3.' Trachyte, sparingly amygdaloidal ; coloured brown outside by 

 iron, 10 ft. 



4. Metamorphosed slate, foliated, jointed, disintegrating, 20 ft. 



5. Compact basalt, 4 inches. 



The debris of volcanic rocks form a breccia over tho basalt ; but this bed 



is very irregular and lenticular. The basalt is replaced in some places along 

 the strike by a dull, light-olivo-coloured laterite or baked clay, about one foot 

 thick. 



6. Quai'tzite, sometimes pure, opaque, white ; often translucent, bluish or 

 smoky ; never crystalline. It gradually invades the laterito mentioned above, 

 and forms ribands of dull olive and pure white quartz, 2 & 3 ft. 



7. Zeeawan limestone with usual fossils ; dips N. 15°, 40 ft. 



8. Zeeawan brown shales, 10 ft. 



9. Fine blue clay-slate ; calcareous and breaking in large thin slates. It 

 contains no fossils, 10 ft. 



Extensive old quarries remain here, showing how fine and free 

 a limestone the Zeeawan bed can give, when quarried in portions of 

 rock which are not weathered. The quarries are far from exhausted, 

 or rather the amount removed is insignificant compared to what 

 remains ; blocks of any size and very sound could now be procured 

 easily from the old quarries. It is a great pity that the Maharajah's 

 government do not work this and other quarries for the limestone they 

 want, instead of destroying the interesting Buddhist ruins which 

 cover the valley, especially as the style of architecture now in favour 

 in Kashmir is perfectly hideous. 



