OF KAMAOK. ^ I59 



The rocks of the southern and midland parts of the province offer little 

 variety, consisting almost uniformly of coarse mica, containing nodules of 

 quartz, sand stone, and slate. In the northern districts, the prevailing kinds 

 are granite, quartz in large masses, and white marble. Garnets, of an in- 

 ferior description, are to be found every where embodied in quartz or mica. 

 Eock chrystal exists in plenty in the Himalaya. Organic remains and fossil 

 bones are also found in that part of the country j the former consists of madre- 

 pores and salagrams ; the bones would appear to have belonged to some large 

 animal of the ox species, probably the yak. Bitumen is found on the sum- 

 mits of many of the high mountains in the province : it exudes from the 

 crevices in the rock, and is of a dark black color, with a strong unpleasant 

 odour. It is used in medicine by the natives, under the name of Silajit. 



A white saponaceous stone, resembling and used for the same purposes 

 as pipe clay, is produced in many places. In Gerhwal, various vessels are 

 turned from it, which, when polished, have the appearance of marble. 

 They retain liquid, but being extremely brittle, are little used. 



If volcanic appearances are ever discovered, it will no doubt be in the 

 Himalaya range : a few hot springs are to be met with in the passes through 

 it ; the heat of these vary j one at Badarinath, where it issues from the ground, 

 shows a heat of 138° Fahrenheit. The inhabitants residing at the base of the 

 range in question, state that smoke is occasionally seen to rise from the in- 

 terior. The frequent occurrence of earthquakes renders it possible, that some 

 volcano is situated there, but the inaccessible nature of the interior of the 

 Himalaya^ must ever render it impossible to ascertain its existence by actual 

 inspection. 



With respect to the origin of the inhabitants, recourse can only be had to 

 vague traditions and conjectures. The country, from its situation, must 



