96 Dr. Verchere on tlie Geology of Kashmir, [No. 2, 



seen, slates and shales which have until now proved azoic, but covered 

 in by limestone rich in forms of the older Pakeozoic period. 



I need hardly say that the azoic slates, shales and sandstones which 

 are interbedded with the ashes and amygdaloids in Kashmir are of 

 Silurian date ; if we wish, therefore, to colour a map of Kashmir 

 solely in regard to the age of the rocks, we should have to colour 

 all the ashes, slates, &c. Silurian. As the volcanic ejecta much 

 predominate in quantity over the azoic slates and sandstone, I have 

 not coloured the mass solely by age, but rather in view of the nature 

 of the rocks. 



But the Himalayan lines of insular volcanoes were not the only 

 ones in that portion of the Silurian sea which we are considering ; 

 other linear volcanoes were directed from the N. E. to the S. W. 

 in the longitudes and latitudes where we now find the great 

 Afghan mountains. We know very little of these mountains : 

 we have seen, however, that volcanic rocks of a granitoid appear- 

 ance form the ranges of hills between Yeusofzaie and Bonneyr, and 

 that clinkstone, granular and porphyritic, is quarried at Jellalabad. 

 Dr. Bellew also tells us that he noticed volcanic rocks amongst the 

 southern spurs of the Sufed Koh.* He also mentions that sharp 

 earthquakes are frequent in the valley of the Korum, and it is re- ! 

 ported by the Povinclas who trade through the Grulwaira Pass, that 

 a city situated at the back of the Suliman chains has been destroyed 

 by a terrific earthquake. I need not point out the usual relation of 

 severe earthquakes with accumulations of volcanic porphyries, in ; 

 countries where no active volcanoes have been known to exist for 

 several geological ages past. Then we have seen that the summits 

 of the main chain of mountains, in the Vuzeeri country, are mostly i 

 composed of volcanic rocks ; but the greatest amount of evidence is 



* After crossing the hill-pass of Hazrah-Shutur-Gardan, the road lies through 

 a gorge, and a stream or rivulet flows to the westward ; in the bed of this rivulet 

 pebbles of porphyry, hornblende and syenite (?) were seen ; the surface of the ; 



soil was also covered with similar pebbles Near the top of the Shinghai i 



Kothul, the volcanic rocks were again seen : Dr. Bellew says : " The surface 

 was strewed with great blocks and fragments of porphyry and syenite, 

 the latter was of various shades, from yellowish-green to greenish-brown, 

 and its fragments shone with a vitreous lustre and broke with a similar frac- ! 

 ture." Chapter II. Narrative of a Mission to Kandahar. The above descrip- 

 tion of syenite does not look much like syenite, it is nearly certain that tho 

 rock observed was a hypersthene rock. 





